Lurking in the Darkness
by bBJokerBb
Summary: Annabelle meets a guy in a club.  what happens when she finds out the truth behind him?  Wade Barrett / Shannon MooreOC
1. Chapter 1

**Authors note: Hey guys, I know I have a fic that is not finished but I have writers block on how to end it and I wanted to start this one before I forget about it. I own Annabelle, and Kelly for sure right now. All WWE names belong to them! lol I'm kinda going through a Wade Barrett fetish right now :p And this is all written from Annabelle's POV.**

_**10:00 on a Friday night and here I sat. Boy was I popular. This is the first Friday I have had off in ages and I had to go out and do something. I dont get very many days off in my line of work. My family owned a huge animal rescue and had everything from farm animals, to exotic animals, to aquatic... Basically you name it and we had it. Let me start from the beginning. It started out as a ranch with mostly horses, some head of cattle, pigs, dogs and cats. Our land had a camp ground on it, camp for little kids, lake, river, plenty of space for trail rides. Soon after that we became a horse haven and well, just kind of inherited the rest of the animals from there I guess. The rason I dont get very many days off is because I"m the vet... Well not technically yet, I'm going to school for it right now, and with 462 bodies on the grounds to care for, time off is something that like never happens. I pulled out my blackberry and texted Kelly. She was my bestie, we were like sisters, we grew up together, and did almost everything together. **_

**Annabelle: Lets go party. I have the night off.**

**Kelly: What! You never get Friday nights off. Riah, Jen, and Karly are down at the vault club. wanna go?**

**Annabelle: I will do anything if it gets me out of here.**

**Kelly: Sweet! Come get me, we'll take your car.**

_**We always took my car. Reason being I had a 2010 Mustang GT, it was pretty sweet, it was a convertable, black with a hot pink stripe down the middle and chrome rims. Needless to say, yeah we always took my car. I went downstairs quick to change clothes. I was kind of a tom girl, mostly jeans and a tee shirt. It wasnt that I wasnt pretty or anything, I was 5'7 and 150lbs, tan skin, green eyes, died auburn hair. Not sure what I should wear I decided on a pair of black shorts and a yellow tube top. Running up the stairs I grabbed my phone off the table and my keys off the hook in the kitchen and ran out the door. The thing about my house is if you sit around to long, you get put to work. Kelly didn't live all to far away from me, about 2 miles down the road. I pulled up the drive and honked the horn. A few seconds after she came bounding down the steps and hopped in the car.**_

**Kelly: This is awesome! You never get to come out with us. This will be fun, I promise.**

_**She always had to promise me that. See the thing about me is that after staying in all the time and working all the time I almost have to force myself to go out and have fun. It was pathetic I know. Most girls my age, I'm 22 by the way, are always out with boys or partying and stuff. Nope I spent most of my days mucking horse stalls, or with my arm half way up some cows butt. Glamorous. The club we were going to was in a suburb of San Fransico, Ca about 15 miles from us... San Fransico itself was probably a good hour. We pulled into the parking lot of the Vault and even over the bass of my cars subwoofers you could hear the music pounding inside. I was totally ready for a night of fun, dancing, and drinking. I grabbed my ID out of the center consil and we headed towards the door. The bouncer at the door checked our IDs and let us pass. We walked in and I was instantly blind, it was totally dark and all you could see is bodies moving and stroble lights and bright colors. It took a few minutes to find the other girls who had a table on the second level. I automatically walked up to the bar and ordered a UV red with sprite. Now here is the only thing I have against bars, you order a drink and I swear that they give it to you in like a dixie cup or something. Like come on, I just paid 5 bucks for that drink the least you could do is put it in a bigger glass. Stingy bastards. I had no less wandered my way back to the table and Kelly and Riah were pulling me down the stairs to the dance floor. Trust me dancing is not my best quality, but it was so dark that I didnt think anyone would noticed anyway. About the time we got the dance floor the 'Cupid Shuffle' (google it if you arnt firmilar) came on and everyone cheered and screamed. We danced for a bout four songs and I was parched, I really needed a glass of water or another drink. **_

**Annabelle: I'll be right back. I need H2O.**

_**I yelled to Kelly almost at the top of my lungs. Getting through the crowd of people on the dance floor was a mess but I finally managed my way out and found the stairs. I had just gotten to the table when the waitress came over with another of my UV red and Sprites. I looked at her a little puzzled.**_

**Annabelle: I dont remember ordering another?**

**Waitress: You didnt. The guy in the corner table over there bought it for you, had me bring it over here.**

**I looked over in the corner, I could tell there was a big circular table and people were sitting at it but I couldnt see a face to save my life.**

**Annabelle: There are like five people sitting over there.**

**Waitress: You cant see him from here. But I'll tell you this much he is tall and handsome, and has an english accent to die for.**

**Annabelle: Well thank you than.**

_**She walked off, and I took another glance back at the table. Its been a long time since a guy bought me a drink and in a way I felt a little special but also alittle creeped out that I was now being watched. I hate that feeling, when you know someone is watching/looking at you and you cant see them or figure out who it is. A few minutes later Kelly came back up the stairs.**_

**Kelly: So are you having fun?**

**Annabelle: For sure! So dude come here, I need to tell you something.**

**I motioned for her to come close, I didnt want to yell it and have anyone else hear it. **

**Annabelle: Dont look now or anything, but there are a bunch of guys in the corner behind you and one of them bought me a drink and had it brough over here. Only problem is I dont know which one it is, and I sure as hell aint going ove there to find out.**

**Kelly: Oh my god! A guy bought you a drink! That means he is totally into you.**

_**I laughed and shook my head. Kelly was one of those boy crazy partiers I was talking about earlier. But I loved her anyway. I yelled to her and told her I need to find the bathroom and got up. In the restroom there wasnt much peace and quiet either. I checked my phone, no new messages. Boy was I the popular one and walked out of the bathroom. I was about to text my brother Dominic to tell him I would be home around 2 and to leave the door unlocked when a voice behind me scared the hell out of me, making me drop my phone. **_

**"Sorry, didnt mean to scare you."**

_**English accent.**_

**Annabelle: Its ok, I shouldnt be so jumpy.**

**"I saw you dancing with your friends out there, enjoying yourself?"**

_**I turned around to get a look at this mistery man and knew that it had to be the guy the waitress was talking about. He was tall, at least 6'5, and very handsome, he had his black hair parted and slightly slicked back and was wearing a pair of I think black dress pants and a button up shirt that I'm pretty sure was white, with a orange rose in the pocket. **_

**Annabelle: I am actually. Its nice to get out.**

**"Dont you get out often?**

**Annabelle: No not really. I work a lot.**

**"I see."**

_**OooooOOOooo feeling a little bit uncomfortable here. His eyes were trailing up and down my body, watching every move I made. There was something about him that was almost mesmorizing and something about him that was almost scary. I couldnt take my attention away from his eyes, they looked almost black and cold as ice, but gentle at the same time. Is that even possible?**_

**Annabelle: Uhm... Well I should probably get back up to our table, my friends will be wondering if I drown myself in the toliet or something.**

**"We wouldnt want that now would we."**

**Annabelle: Deffinatly not.**

_**I steered myself around him and walked back to our table, I could feel his eyes on me all the way until I turned the corner. There was something different about that man, something hidden.**_

**Kelly: Did you find it?**

**Annabelle: Yeah. Hey we need to go soon, I told Dom I would be home by 2 am. Plus I gotta check on Turbo in the morning.**

**Turbo was our newest elephant, and had very large cut on his back leg. The bandage would need to be changed right away in the morning.**

**Kelly: Dont be mad, but you go. Riah can drive me home, I'm not done dancing.**

_**I nodded at her and we kissed cheeks. I grabbed my keys and headed out the door glancing at the table in the corner as I turned to go down the steps. I couldnt tell if my mystery man had returned to his table or not. Once out of the club I could feel a headache coming on, and my ears felt almost as if they were stuffed with cotton balls. **_

**"Leaving so soon?"**

_**I whirled around to face him. Shit. This is about the time that the girl gets dragged somewhere in the horror movies. I felt the panic raise in my body and my cheeks were hot.**_

**Annabelle: I uh, I work early.**

**"Thats a shame. Are you sure you are capable of driving?"**

**Annabelle: Yes.**

**"Where are my manners? Allow me to introduce myself, I am Wade Barrett. Myself and a few others just moved her."**

**Annabelle: I'm Annabelle, usually everyone calls me Belles. Nice to uh, meet you.**

**Wade: Pleasure is mine. **

_**He gently grabbed my hand and lifted it to his mouth placing a light but sensual kiss on it. **_

**Annabelle: Well I should get going... Maybe I will see you around town.**

**Wade: Of course, dont let me keep you. Good night... Annabelle.**

_**It took me no time what so ever to get into my car and drive off. That man scared the bijibies out of me, but made me hot and bothered at the same time, maybe i did want to see him around town. Chances were unlikey though in a city this size... 'I will have to call Kelly in the morning and tell her about this' I thought to myself as I drove down the road. **_


	2. Chapter 2

_**I woke up the next moring pretty groggy to my alarm blaring. ugh. 6:00 am. Pretty sure I went to bed like two hours ago. I rolled out of bed, showered and got dressed and went on with my morning chores. My morning usually consisted of letting the horses out to pasture and mucking stalls, follwed by checking on the rescue, making sure that no one is missing or injured. 'shit' I thought 'I need to go into town and get feed for the animals'. I let the grains and hay get dangerously low this time. Hay I could make a phone call for, but grain was a different story, it required hoooking up the flat bed trailer to the truck and going into town for ungodly amounts of feed. 'Well I check up on Kelly and see if she wants to ride along, its almost one in the afternoon she should be rollin out of bed anyway'. **_

**Annabelle: You awake? I need to do a feed run wanna come?**

**Kelly: Sure come get me.**

**Annabelle: Be there in ten.**

_**I hooked up the flat bed to my pick up and rolled down the drive way to Kellys house. I also needed to stop and see Shannon while it was day light out. His house and his room mates creeped me out at night. A: they lived in, well lets say not the nicest part of town. B: He room mates were not to entirely friendly. And C: They were always having strange parties at night, random women that you have never seen before disappearing into rooms and shit. **_

**Kelly: So where are we going?**

**Annabelle: I need to go to the Animal Nutrition Feeds and pile up on grain, and I need to go to Shannons to get some shit for Dom. **

_**Dom was my brother. Every week I had to go to Shannons and pick up a duffle bag of whatever and take it to Doms shop. I didnt know what was in it, and frankly, I didnt want to know. But I did it because the cops were watching Dominic like a hawk and it was safer this way. **_

**Kelly: Belles! You know that I hate his house, why didnt you tell me that in the first place? I would've stayed home.**

**Annabelle: My point exactly. **

_**Animal Nutrition was ready for me, I back the trailer into the loading dock and the piled me with grains and pellets. And we were off to Shannons. The nieghborhood was fine during the day time, it was at night that the freaks came out. We drove slowly down the road and I noticed that the vacant house next door to Shans' looked like people were moving in. **_

**Kelly: Bought time someone bought that heap of a house, its been sitting there forever.**

**Annabelle: yeah...**

_**I answered her distantly starting at the house. It always gave me the creeps to. Big house, it had 9 rooms 6 bathrooms, all the floors were wooden, big pilliars on the outside, and totally reminded me of one of those stupid haunted houses they put up for halloween... Only this one was year round. I parked the truck across the street from Shannons, who was sitting outside on the steps waiting for me. This was about my usual time to show up. **_

**Annabelle: Hey buddy!**

**Shannon: Whats good girl?**

**Annabelle: In town getting horse feed.**

**Shannon: *chuckles* The usual huh?**

_**I laughed and nodded my head. He was a good kid, a real sweet heart. He opened up the door and motioned for me to come in. I turned around aburptly to face the house next door, only to see nothing there. I swear someone is watching me. I had that feeling, everyone knows that feeling when you're being stared at or observed.**_

**Shannon: What are you looking at?**

**Annabelle: I thought someone was behind me...**

**Shannon: No one is there, I'm pretty sure they all went into town to get some stuff for the house.**

_**I walked into the house and he folled behind me, shutting the door and walking into the room closest us. **_

**Annabelle: So tell me about your new nieghbors?**

**Shannon: Nosey.**

**Annabelle: And?**

**Shannon: There are six of them. I haven't met them all. There is a red head Heath, and dumb bald moron Skip and a tall english guy Wade. I havent met any of the other ones.**

_**I ran the words through my head a few times over and over "tall english man, Wade"... You have got to be kidding me.**_

**Annabelle: Well thats interesting. Looks like no more of them wild parties eh?**

**Shannon gave me 'whatever' look and handed me the bag.**

**Shannon: There ya go sweetheart.**

_**I nooded thanks to him and went to leave. This is the only time that his rooms mates were not around and I was not going to get stuck seeing any of them. I walked out the door shutting it softly behind me, and bounced down the steps towards the car.**_

**Wade: Fancy seeing you here.**

_**Oh my god. I was kind of hoping I could make it to the truck and be out of here before anyone had noticed I was there. I turned around slowly to see Wade the man from the club leaning against the pilliar of his new house.**_

**Annabelle: uh... Yeah it is. You bought the hosue?**

**Wade: Yes.**

**Annabelle: Bought time someone bought it, been sitting on the market for months now. Fixing it up?**

_**I was totally rambling. I was nervous and it showed, but what could I do?**_

**Wade: The boys are in town getting materials for it. Thats sure a lot of bags you got there.**

**Annabelle: Yep. Gotta feed the horses.**

**Wade: Oh, of course. So... do you com ehere often?**

**Annabelle: No, about once a week.**

**Wade: To bad, I would like to see you more.**

_**As he said that last sentence he began to take a few steps closer to me. I stood there, frozen and unable to move.**_

**Annabelle: Why...?**

**Wade: You are a very intersting female, that I would like to know more about.**

**Annabelle: Well mabye we can get together some time... but I need to get this feed back to the ranch.**

_**The moment it came out of my mouth I instantly regretted it. What was I thinking? I didnt know this man for anything.**_

**Wade: Well how about dinner tomorrow?**

**Annabelle: Ok.**

_**It was all I could say.**_

**Wade: What is your number?**

_**I told him and he punched it into his phone, a few seconds later my phone rang.**_

**Wade: Now you have mine. I will pick you up at 6 tomorrow than? **

**Annabelle: Sounds good. **

_**I turned and walked towards the truck to see Kelly in the passengers seat trying her hardest not to laugh. I crawled in and turn the desil engine over and took off from the house. **_

**Kelly: Whose the hunky?**

**Annabelle: Wade.**

****_**I went on and reminded her of the drink and the story of the club last night and the parking lot and that we were going to dinner tomorrow because I couldnt say no. **_

**Kelly: Oh my god! You have a date! That is soooooo exciting. I could get you all pretty and stuff and it will be fun.**

_**I stiffled a groan as we drove back home. Great. As if picking up at Shannons was not bad enough on a weekly basis I now have him to deal with to. Of al the people to move into that hell hole, it had to be him. Wonderful.**_

**Authors note: Next chapter is dinner and maybe something extra... Will wade take Annabelle back to her home? Or will She end up at one of Shannons roommates parties? **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I own Annabelle and Kelly. I threw in some characters from Fast and the Furious I DO NOT own Dom, Letty, Jesse, Vince, Leo, or Mia. Or Wade or any other nexus memeber. **

**The next morning I woke up still half dreaming with my alarm buzzing next to me. I'm one of those people that only remember bits and pieces of a dream, never the whole thing. Pushing the 'snooze' button I took a moment to remember my dream that I was so rudely awoken from. Wade was there, and his room mates... There was blood, lots of blood... The blakents, the pillow, and there were splashes along the white flowered wall. The place ment nothing to me, it was no where that I had been to or anything like that, but it was all I remembered. Than I remember dinner at 6:00 and I let out a soft groan of disapproval, why had I agreed to that? **

**My morning routine took about a half hour. Normally I rolled out of bed, grabbed a pair of jeans and tee shirt and headed out the door to start mucking the horse stalls and check on everything. As per usual like every other morning all the animals were still there, healthy and alive... Although lately I have been doing night checks as well. Last week a farmer lost 4 full sized cows to something in the woods, he found the cows on the edge of the wood line drained of all their blood. The police and veternarians could not identify the beast responsible... Which means whatever it was, was still lurking out there somewhere. **

**It didn't take me long that morning to get everything done, it was only 3:00 in the afternoon. That gave me plenty of time to grab a decent pair of clothes and shower and get myself ready for my "date" tonight. Thankfully everyone at the house was out for the watermelon festaval in the town nieghboring ours. I know, I know. "Watermelon festival" It sounds very hick and redneck, but hey thats what small towns do I guess. So anyway no one at the house knew about my dinner thing tonight, only Kelly. I pulled out my phone to text her, and noticed I had a missed text from Wade.**

**Wade: Still on for tonight right?**

**Annabelle: Yes.**

**Quickly I scrolled down my contacts until I hit Kellys name.**

**Annabelle: Wish me luck tonight. I might need a "emergency" call to get me out of there!**

**Kelly: You will be fine! He seems like a nice guy... And the way he looked at you yesterday was so sweet.**

**Annabelle: Whatever dude. Just be ready.**

**I shook my head at her. Kelly has always been good at reading guys, which is totally not my cup of tea. Most of the time I was just one of the guys, drinking beer, watching football, ya know that kind of stuff. Never really noticed. I got myself all showered and put on a small amount of make up. Its something I never really use, but I figured I wanted to make a good immpression. Finally I chose the outfit I wanted, nothing really special but it was better than my jeans. A pair of black flared pants, a baby blue button up shirt that showed off my cleavage, and a pair of black tennis shoes. My hair, as usual was pulled back into a pony tail.  
**

**Wade: Directions?**

**I gave him directions to my house as simply as I could. Ok, so it was a little difficult to get to our farm if you have never been there before, but once you have been here you never forget how to get here. After a few wrong turns I could sense he was getting a little frustrated, but surely enough after about a half hour his new black tahoe came into sight on my driveway. I took a deep breath and walked outside, locking the house door behind me. Nevervously I steadily walked to the passenger side of the car and he leaned over and popped the door open for me.**

**Wade: You look beautiful.**

**I could feel the heat come to my cheeks as I blushed from his comment. I was not used to getting nice comments from men.**

**Annabelle: Thank you. You look rather dashing yourself. Where are we headed to?**

**Wade: Whatever you want. Your pick.**

**Annabelle: There is a nice restraunt just on the edge of town. Its call the taste of India...**

**Wade: Is that your choice than?**

**Annabelle: Uhm... Yes?**

**With that he sent us down the road and in towards town. The good thing about this place is we didn't need to travel into San Fransico to get to it. It was located in the town of Vining, which was only a ten minute drive from my house. They had remarkable Indian food and when I say "Indian" I mean from India of course. The dinner went well though I couldn't tell if he was actually eating anything or not. **

**Wade: So how long have you been around here?**

**Annabelle: About my whole life. Well I was adopted kind of, and this is just kind of where I ended up.**

**Wade: Kind of adopted?**

**Annabelle: Long story. **

**Wade: That your not comfortable with sharing with me?**

**Annabelle: Correct.**

**It wasn't a lie. My personal life was not something that I just blabbed to the entire world. Really though, when I was born I apparently was not wanted because my "mother" dumped me in a pasture and when they found me one of the horses had sent up camp next to me they thought keeping me warm. In the end I ended up with Joani on her ranch, and the horse came with me. I didn't share this with a lot of people, because I didn't like the fact that I was not wanted by someone.**

**Wade: Fair enough... **

**Annabelle: And where do you come from?**

**Wade: I'm from Manchester. Moved to the states a few years ago, first to Miami than to Chicago, and now here we are. **

**Annabelle: How did you meet them?**

**Wade: We went to college in Florida together.**

**Annabelle: Oh.**

**My lest question I could tell struck a nerve, and judging by the way he acted I could tell he was lying to me. Oh well, I would figure it out sooner or later, for now let him lie. **

**Annabelle: Well... Thank you for dinner. I dont get out much, it was nice.**

**Wade: Why not?**

**Annabelle: I have 462 animals to care for on the rescue. 50 stalls to muck out every morning. Regular cleaning of all the other cages, and I mainly do it all by myself except for the few workers we have. Those animals are basically my life, I dont have time for anything else. **

**Wade: I dont think I like that.**

**Annabelle: Like what?**

**Wade: Well I would hope you could make time for another dinner...**

**Annabelle: I'm sure I could fit it in somewhere.**

**I looked down and blushed, feeling the heat come up in my cheeks. Wade paid the bill and we got up to leave. He walked behind me and I could feel his eyes on me. **

**Wade: Do you want to see the new place? Looks better from the inside...**

**I'm not entirely sure that I felt comfortable with that. I was almost 8:00pm and it would be getting dark soon. Dark was about the time that Shannons roommates threw there crazy parties, and I knew that if they saw me I would some how be lured over there. He must have seen the hesitation on my face because he put the car in gear and started down the road.**

**Wade: Maybe another time.**

**Annabelle: Yeah... **

**When we got to my house all the lights were on and the curtains were open, everyone was sitting inside probably watching the game and immediatly looked outside when they saw the head lights approach. **

**Wade: When can I see you again?**

**Annabelle: I dont know. You have my number now, so just give me a call or text me sometime?**

**Wade: Sounds good.**

**He put the car in park and got out to open the door for me, helping me out of his car. This was the part where I was clueless... Its been years since I have ever been on a date. Do I give him a hug? Do I do a good night kiss? Or just a thanks for the great night, see you later? I guess while all the questions were running cirlces through my head he knew exactly what he was doing. He cupped my face in hands and tilted my head up towards him taking my lips onto his. It was only a small light kiss, but it sent an electric shock through me giving me feelings that I have not felt in a long time. Once again I could feel the heat in my cheeks and my face got red.**

**Wade: I will call you soon.**

**Annabelle: Alright. Thanks again.**

**Wade: Have a good night.**

**He got back into his car and I took the walk of shame up the steps to the front door, know what was about to go down inside. Dominic was my over protective brother, Letty was his girlfriend, Jesse, Vince, and Leo were like brothers to and the only one who wouldn't give me shit was Mia my sister. The first one to meet me at the door was Dominic, my brother.**

**Dom: Who was that?**

**Annabelle: Wade.**

**Vince: And who is he? Never seen him around here before. Looks like a punk.**

**Annabelle: Everyone looks like that to you Vince. And for your information he and his rooms mates just moved here. **

**I looked at Dominic and Letty standing next to me.**

**Annabelle: Into the house next door to Shannons.**

**Jesse: That old run down place?**

**Annabelle: Yep.**

**Jesse: What a pile of shit. **

**Mia: No kidding.**

**Dominic: My next question is what were you doing with him? He looked pretty fucking friendly for some guy you just met.**

**Annabelle: Blow me Dom. He took me to dinner, thats it.**

**He mumbled something else under his breath as I walked downstairs. I knew that someone was following down behind me, probably Mia, she will want to know every detail like always. I grabbed the TV remote and flopped down on the couch flipping through the channels. Mia took a seat on the floor with her History book in front of me.**

**Mia: Spill.**

**Annabelle: His name is Wade Barrett. He just moved here. He has 5 roommates. And... He is english.**

**Mia: He is hot girl. **

**Annabelle: There is something off about him. I just cant quite figure it out yet.**

**Mia: Everyone has flaws.**

**Annabelle: Well I just hope doesn't involve serial killing rapist stuff.**

**She shook her head at my comment. This is how I got everytime I guy started to like me, mostly because I knew that it wouldn't last. Guys usually took interest to me at first because I had a nice body and a pretty face. Than they get to know me and I once again end up one of the guys. So the way I figure it is if I sent myself up and prepare for rejections, than when it actually happens I wont be near as disappointed. I settled the channel on Covert Affairs, it was a new show and it only took one show to become my favorite. It wasn't long before I started to doze off on the couch... Than I heard the most terrifying sound I have heard in my entire life. It was almost a blood curtling scream and it came from outside somewhere in the rescue. Instantly I was at attention and to my feet.**

**Mia: Oh my god... What was that?**

**Dominic: Belles! **

**I bolted up the stairs to the main floor and looked at Dom with a horrified look on my face. Joani who was usually in charge was out of town for two more days and it was just us right now. I rummaged through the junk cupboard for a flashlight, and finally found the big tool flashlight. Dominic went out first followed by myself, Vince and Leo. I shined the light on the cows in the pasture next to us and on out to the horse pasture. They looked about as spooked as us, but if it came from either pen they would be running around like crazy. Thankfully the night was pretty clear and we headed deeper into the rescue. Nothing seemed to standout at us until we reached the Giraffe enclosure. The light didn't reach always back towards the woods, but you could definatly see way back there a pair of legs flopping around. **

**I climbed the fence and ran towards the body laying on the ground, I'm not sure but I could've sworn that I saw a few dark figures disappear into the woods but I could not be sure in the dark. Jerzy was laying there on the edge of the wood line, half of his body was drug out of the fence and he was just laying there. Kneeling down I examined him.**

**Dominic: What happened to him? Did he try to get out?**

**Annabelle: I dont know, I cant see. I swear I saw something go into the woods, but I dont know...**

**My flashlight lit up the forrest and I scanned it back and forth, nothing stuck out.**

**Leo: Oh man, look.**

**He pointed down to the two small wounds that were on the neck of Jerzy. I had no clue what they were, what kind of animal would make puncture marks like that?**

**Vince: What are they?**

**Annabelle: I dont know. There isn't an animal that I could think of that would make that kind of mark... Dom help me move him back inside.**

**Dominic and Vince both gave me hand to get Jerzy back into the fenced in enclosure. Jerzy unsteadily made his way to his feet and look wearily at the woods. Something was out there, the entire rescue was spooked. I looked at the holes in his neck, they were not bleeding or anything like that. In the morning I will have to clean and bandage them but for now he will be fine.**

**Annabelle: He'll be ok for now. We're going to have to check on EVERYONE in the morning. Something is in those woods, the animals can sense it.**

**Dom: Well lets go than. Thats enough excitment for one night. **

**Annabelle: No, I"m staying with the animals tonight. Just in case.**

**Leo: No, no one is staying out here by themselves.**

**Annabelle: Yes I am. These animals rely on me. I'll keep my phone on me and I'll check in.**

**Dom: Leo, she'll be fine. Ok I'll text you before I go to bed. Hey, be safe.**

**I nodded and headed down the sidewalk towards the exotic cats. Sheena was a couple days from having her kittens and was stressed out as it was. When I walked into her cage she was lying on the rock by the water staring into the woods, I heard a deep soft grown come from her throat and she glanced over at me.**

**Annabelle: Hey baby girl, how are you doing?**

**I sat down next to her and patted her head scratching behind her ear. She continued to stare into the woods. The other cats in the neighboring cages we not sleeping either, they were at the front of the cages all wearily looking around like they were expecting something to jump out of them. In the distance I heard a few of the horses winny and snort followed by the chimps calling to eachother. After a few moments I began to feel how the animals did. Worried and unsure. It felt like there were eyes watching me from the direction of the forrest, and it bothered me. I ended up dozing off against the rock next to Sheena. When I awoke it was morning, and I had a big surprise waiting for me.**


	4. Chapter 4

**I woke up the next morning laying against the rock Sheena next to me and two newborn kittens. Sometime during the night she had given birth and I had not heard it. I gave them a once over and luckily they seemed to be pretty healthily, both males, one was white and the other orange. **

**Annabelle: How you feeling sweetheart?**

**I ran my hands over her and felt around for any problems that may have occurred while she was in labor. She seemed healthy, happy and content for now so I got up to start my morning chores. I would weight them in later and do a full evaluation along with it, for now they need to bond. I remember last night and wondered once again what was in the woods that could've scared the animals so bad and immediately remembered Jerzy. Rushing to his cage there is was eating with the rest of the herd. I slipped inside the enclosure and walked up to him examining his neck. The holes seemed to have scabbed over for now and didn't look infected. 'Good' I thought to myself as I made my way towards the horse barns. I looked down at my phone which had a couple of missed messages on it.**

**Kelly: What happened yesterday?**

**Kelly: Mia said something happened with Jerzy, hello? Fill me in please.**

**Wade: Trust you slept well.**

**Dom: Call me when you wake up.**

**I texted them back one by one, I hated it when I missed messages and they piled up.**

**Annabelle: Something bit Jerzy, dunno what it was. She is fine, just checked on her.**

**Annabelle: Not so well actually. Long night.**

**And than I dialed Doms number, who picked up after one ring.**

**Dom: There are some bills on the table I need you take care of quickly. You're better at that shit than I am.**

**Annabelle: That had better not be the reason you had me call.**

**Dom: How was everything last night?**

**I could hear the concern in his voice.**

**Annabelle: Well nothing else happened. Sheena had her kittens last night, they're healthy. Checked on Jerz this morning and she seems fine to.**

**Dom: Good. Ok I'm at the shop, wont be home till late tonight. Dont forget to drop off that stuff at Shannons today.**

**Annabelle: Yep. Bye.**

**I hung up the phone. I dreaded going to Shannons, especially knowing that Wade was right there. My chores seemed to take longer this morning, probably because I hadn't slept worth shit and I was still tired. When I had finally finished I drug myself up to the house where Mia was cooking lunch and had a glass of juice waiting for me. **

**Annabelle: Thanks Mia.**

**She smiled at me and put some food in front of me. I was starving and made swift work of it, before grabbing the box that needed to go to Shannons and searching for my keys. **

**Mia: Dom has your truck. Needed it to haul something.**

**Annabelle: Funny, he didn't mention that on the phone earlier.**

**He never tells me when he uses my truck mainly because he knows that I will say no. I was very protective of it. **

**Annabelle: Whatever, I'll take the Mustang. Toss me the keys?**

**She grabbed the keys to the 2010 black mustang GT convertible and tossed them to me. I yelled a 'see you later' at her as I walked out the door and hopped into the fast car pulling it out of the driveway. In the Mustang it only took a short time to reach the side of town that I needed to be on. I checked my phone expecting a response from Wade, but there was nothing. Maybe he wasn't home. Well I could hope anyway. I parked the car on the road in front of Shannons house, who happened to be standing out front smoking a cigarette.**

**Shannon: T-bird. You look like shit...**

**Annabelle: I feel like shit Shanny.**

**I said to him as I walked the short distance to his house. It was obvious that they had thrown one hell of a party last night judging by the junk all over the house. I handed him the box which he took without any hesitation.**

**Annabelle: Big party?**

**Shannon: You know it. The neighbors came last night to. Ya know you should really come over one night for our party, it would be fun. I would protect you.**

**Annabelle: Hmmm yeah I'm just not sure about that one.**

**I softly punched his shoulder and got distracted as one of his roommates walked by the door, sending a glare out towards me. Jeff was the unfriendly one of the bunch and didn't like anyone, so I didn't feel to bad when he gave me the nasty look.**

**Wade: Morning sunshine. Bloody hell, you look awful.**

**Jumping slightly I turned around to look at Wade who was standing only a few feet from me. Funny how I didn't even hear him approach, and Shannon didn't say anything.**

**Annabelle: I had a long night.**

**They both looked at me expectantly. I sighed and took a deep breath.**

**Annabelle: Something attacked one of the giraffes last night. I spent the entire night sleeping against a rock in Sheenas cage outside. I didn't exactly get the beauty sleep that I should've gotten. There is some thing in those woods.**

**Shannon: Well you already knew that. Its been attacking the farmers livestock for weeks.**

**Annabelle: But my livestock is different. And its not just the live stock Shan, the whole rescue is in danger as long as that fucking thing is still alive. I'll stand out there all night with a shot gun if I have to.**

**It wasn't a lie, I had no probably shooting whatever it was that wanted to feed on my animals. When I looked at Wade I could've sworn I saw a stab of hurt cross his face before he lightly smiled at me.**

**Wade: I"m sure whatever it is the police will find it.**

**Annabelle: Well they have done a banged up job so far. So have you gotten everything moved in? I'd like to see inside if you're alright with it?**

**Wade: Of course. Come on. **

**I gave Shannon a short hug and bounced down the steps, following behind Wade who lead me to their house. He walked up the stairs to his front door and opened it up motioning for me to go inside. I walked a few steps inside and he came up behind me. Looking around in awe, he laughed at me.**

**Wade: Well hell darlin, what were you expecting?**

**Annabelle: I dont know... I mean the last time I was in this place it was one of Shannons wild parties and the place was dark and falling apart, it was a dump and really quite scary.**

**Wade: Well go on, look around. You're in luck, no one else is home so you dont need to worry about them.**

**Annabelle: Why would I worry?**

**I looked over at him expectantly, waiting for him to give me a reason to confirm my fears. They had to be serial killer rapists or something. **

**Wade: They make you nervous. I can tell.**

**Annabelle: How?**

**Wade: Your body language every time you come to Shannons house and we're sitting outside.**

**I had nothing to say to that. He was right, so I just nodded me head as I explored the house. It looked normal, but it was dark. It was like they didn't believe in sunlight or something. All the shades were drawn, the colors on the wall were normal colors but darker shades of the normal colors. I make my way up the stairs and down the hall, looking into random bed rooms as I went. When I reached the last room in the hall I pushed the door open and peered inside, I could feel Wade behind me, watching me. Slowly I stepped inside, wondering if he was going to tie me up or something. For some reason I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something "not right" with him or his room mates, but they seemed normal enough when you talked to them. The room was a dark shade of blue, the curtains were of course drawn and the bed was massive. A huge four poster bed with the curtains around it, I actually found myself asking in my head if there was a body inside there. As if to answer my question he walked over and opened the large hanging curtains to reveal the messy unmade bed.**

**Wade: Sorry its a mess... Wasn't expecting company.**

**I smiled at him and left the room walking back downstairs and into the kitchen. I was examining my surroundings when I noticed the basement door. It was locked. Why? Wade saw me looking at the door and moved his body in front of it, blocking my view.**

**Annabelle: Whats down there?**

**I raised an eyebrow at him, waiting for my answer. Actually now that I think about it, I didn't really want to know...**

**Wade: Stuff that didn't fit anywhere else. From our old house. **

**Annabelle: Why is it locked?**

**Heath: None of your fucking business. What is **_**she**_** doing in here?**

**I jumped when Heath spoke up behind me and whirrled around. He was glaring down at me and beginning to close the space between us. Wade quickly crossed the kitchen and positioned myself behind him, shooting daggers at Heath who looked up in shock. He took a couple steps back in submission.**

**Wade: I told her she could come in. Is that a problem?**

**He asked to heath with a fair amount of harshness in his voice. Heath just shook his head, shot me another glare and turned to walk back down the hallway. The way he looked at me scared me, his eyes were black as coal and full of lust when he walked towards me. **

**Annabelle: I think its time for me to go.**

**I told Wade and he nodded in agreement. He walked me out of the house and down to the mustang opening the door for me.**

**Wade: Dont worry about them. It takes them time to get used to a new person, and sometimes Heath is just a dick.**

**Annabelle: Its ok. I'll see you later.**

**He shut the car door and I turned over the engine. I took one last look towards the house and saw that Heath was standing against the window frame, a smug grin across his face. When I looked over Shannon stood on the porch a slight look of worry crossing his face... It was odd, when Wade began to walk up the path to his house I could see Shannon shoot him an unhappy look. I didn't stay for more. I threw the mustang into first gear and drove off down the road. They were hiding something in that basement, and I was going to figure out what it was. **

**When I finally arrived home my truck was sitting up by the house, and Kellys car was next to it. I got out of the truck and headed up to the house, where everyone was sitting in the living room intensely focused on the TV.**

**Annabelle: What is going on?**

**No one answered me. No one even looked up from the TV.**

**Annabelle: Uhm, hello? What the fuck?**

**Mia: Watch the news, and shut up.**

**I shot her an evil glare and walked over to the couch, plopping down on Leos lap and looked at the TV.**

**Interviewer: She was found this morning washed up on the back of the coast. Her identity has not yet been determined but we think that it is Jenny Smith who silently went missing two weeks ago after attending one of the high school football games. Doctors say the cause of death a bleed out, and two small holes were found on her neck, puncturing the major artery. The killer dumped her body in the ocean, and washed away any hope of finding any evidence of who he or she was. As if that isn't enough a new girl has gone missing just yesterday. Amanda Masters, 24, a college student from the university went missing yesterday after she was abducted from the mall. Her friends saw her get into what she thought was a black chrystler 300 against her will. Police have been searching for her all night and all day, please if you have any information on this womans where abouts call 911 right away. Back to you Paul.**

**Dominic turned off the TV and we all sat there motionless. Jenny had been a friend of the family for many years and it was not like her to just disappear like she had that night. In my head I wondered if the livestock killings and the murder of Jenny was linked in anyway.**

**Dom: I want you girls to be careful when you go out from now on. And no more of this going out in the middle of the night without one of us. I cant lose any of you.**

**There was concern in his voice as he thought about any of his sisters or his girlfriend going missing and ending up like that. The boys got up and went down stairs to the bar, leaving me, Letty, Kelly and Mia upstairs. **

**Annabelle: I was inside Wades house today. There is something that is not right about it. The basement door is chained shut and he got all weird when I asked about it. Ok and than on top of that right after I asked about it that red headed guy Heath, flipped shit on me being there. It was terrifying, his eyes were so... empty.**

**Mia: That whole group is different. I dont think you should spend time with them anymore Belle.**

**I didn't reply back to her, and watched as her and Letty went to join the boys down stairs.**

**Kelly: I want to know what is in the basement...**

**I looked over at Kelly who now had a huge smile plastered on her face. God we were nothing but trouble.**

**Annabelle: We would have to find a time when no one is home, and we need to get the key.**

**Kelly: No, you need to get the key. Wade probably has it. He already likes you, that shouldn't be hard.**

**Annabelle: Hmmm... Maybe we'll just pick it.**

**Picking locks was something that I was really good at. I could get into anything and every where. Now we just had to figure out a time where it was safe to go in there...**


	5. Chapter 5

**Kelly and I started to figure out our plan, but we had to do it away from the rest of the house hold because Dominic would want none of it. He didn't even want me hanging around there anymore, not that I hung around anyway. We were upstairs talking when everyone pulled up, including Shannon, Wade, Heath, and Shans room mate Matt. They got out of the cars and headed towards the house as myself and Kelly scrambled around trying to make it look like we weren't up to anything. **

**Annabelle: What are you guys up to?**

**Dom: Its a nice day out. We were going to go cat fishin, Wade and Heath wanted to tag along. You want to come with to? Miss expert cat fisher up there? **

**I laughed at his comment. We had a river that ran about a half a mile away from the house in the woods, that had flat head cat fish in them. Now I"m about as red neck as they come... Where I come from Red White and Blue stands for Redneck, White trash, and Blue collar so everyone around these parts drove trucks, had guns, and fished. Kelly wasn't into the fishing as we all were, and she drove a nice little sports car but she always came along anyway.**

**Annabelle: Fucking right!**

**I bounded up from the couch with a huge smile across my face. Dom motioned for us to come outside and we all piled into the truck and in the back of it. Leo and Vince were working so that left me to drive my truck, Dom, Mia, Letty, Jesse, Shan, Wade and much to my dismay Heath. I'm pretty sure he enjoyed my company just as much as I did his... Which was not at all. We drove in silence to the river and parked the truck by the dock, and we all piled into the big boat. There was a perfect cat fish hole a little ways south and we anchored there. Wade was looking around where we had parked the boat a bit confused, as was Heath. Shannon was looking at the two of them with a grin on his face, he had come along with us before.**

**Wade: Where are the fishing poles?**

**He looked up at me expectantly and I pulled of the sweat shirt that I had been wearing and took off my shoes, flashing him a reassuring smile.**

**Shannon: What fishing poles?**

**Shannon gave a small chuckle as I dove into the river a few feet from the boat. When I came back up I was close the the shoreline, Jesse followed closely behind me jumping in right after I did. I looked at Wade who was still confused. The way we fished down here was obviously not how it was done up north, here it was all by hand... And I loved it. So to answer his confused face I waited around in the water and found a hole, dunked under the water and came up with a good 40lb flat head cat fish. I walked over to the boat and lifted it up to Dom who brought it in the boat and plopped it down right on Wades feet, he looked at me wide eyed.**

**Annabelle: Want to learn?**

**He just sat there for a second, looking at me than back at the fish. After a minute or so he pulled off his shirt and jumped in the water, swimming over to where Jesse and I were. For a moment I wondered why Dom had even brought them along, since he had said just the other day that I was not allowed to be around him anymore...**

**Wade: Teach away professor. **

**Annabelle: Ok so, you're going to want to feel around the bottom by where I'm standing... There is a hole right under me and if we're lucky at all, there is a fish in there. Now stick you foot inside that hole, as far as you can get it to go.**

**When I said that last sentence he looked at me a little started. Cat fish noodling goes against all your basic instincts. **

**Annabelle: Just do it. If you're lucky he will bite down on your foot, because they are territorial. Anway he'll bite on you're foot and you'll feel such a rush that you wont care. When he clamps on, try and pry his mouth open to keep him on... Drag him out of the hole, go under water and stick you hand into his mouth and threw his gill. Than pull him up.**

**I said it just like that, making it sound simple. He looked at me with doubt.**

**Wade: I dont know that I"m comfortable doing this.**

**Annabelle: Than get back in the boat, tuff guy.**

**I shot my comment at him without missing a beat and he looked over at me almost hurt, a few seconds after that hurt was replaced by determination. He grabbed hold of my shoulder and started fishing around for a hole, and by the look of shock on his face he found one. Than he went under. For a moment I wondered if he was going to come back up because there were no bubbles, no upturned dirt, no water moment, nothing. I was about to go in under after him when he flew up from the water splashing everywhere, with a confident look on his face. **

**Wade: Guess what darlin?**

**I looked at him expectantly and cocked my head to the side. Than he lifted up a three foot cat fish, I had to admit that I was pretty impressed. After a couple more fish we retreated to the boat and let the others have their shot.**

**Wade: What are your plans tonight?**

**Annabelle: I dont know, probably nothing. What are you doing?**

**Wade: We are going out of town tomorrow morning to go get the rest of our stuff from the other house. We'll be gone all weekend, you want to come along for the ride?**

**Bingo.**

**Annabelle: No, I cant be away from the rescue for that long. You're all going? In what?**

**I was trying to sound innocent.**

**Wade: Yeah we all fit comfortably in the tahoe, and we'll rent a uhaul. Thats to bad, could be a fun road trip.**

**Annabelle: Oh yeah... Or like totally not fun. At all.**

**Wade: I would keep the boys off your case if that's what you're worried about.**

**He laughed loudly when I told him I didn't think it would be fun, and focused back at Heath trying to catch a fish... Which he was miserably failing at. Quickly I glanced up at Kelly who had heard our conversation and smiled at her which she returned. That was our ticket into the basement. They would all be gone for the entire weekend, we would just need to sneak in without Shannon seeing us.**

**When we got back to the ranch the boys got in their cars and took off. Dominic going with them, it wasn't unusual for Dom to take off and not come home for a while. It bothered Letty, but by now the whole team was used to it. I pulled Kelly outside to come to the barn and feed the horses with me after dinner that night, to tell her about them leaving for the weekend.**

**Annabelle: So... I was talking to Wade on the boat. Did you catch the whole conversation?**

**Kelly: Most of it. Whats going on?**

**Annabelle: All of them are taking off in the truck with a uhaul to get the rest of their stuff from the old house. He said that they would be gone all weekend, so that gives us Friday night, Saturday and Saturday night to figure out what the hell we're doing. This might be the only chance we get to get in there...**

**Kelly: And how are we supposed to get around Shannon? Or his room mates. They'll probably be having a party that night, hell both nights knowing them. They're bound to see us.  
**

**Annabelle: Damn dont be so negative. Well we can break into a window if we have to... They have the huge side windows on the other side of the house, and who knows they might just be unlocked. Getting in is not what I'm worried about it. Its getting into that basement, and gettin gout that I'm worried about.**

**Kelly: This goes against all of my basic instincts. But lets do it. Friday night. That way we know that they will for sure be gone, and not coming back possibly that same night... If we do it on Saturday than we have no clue if they may come back.**

**Annabelle: Ok, so we'll go in Friday night. Like one or two in the morning. Thats about when Shannons parties die down and I'll text him and make sure that they left. Ya know be all sweet and shit. **

**We had our plan all in order, now all there was to do was wait until Friday. It was only Tuesday and the next three days seemed to drag by slowly. There were no more attacks on the animals for now and they seemed calm enough. Dom, Letty and the boys all left on Thursday night to a racing thing in Los Angeles, CA so we would not need to worry about them saying anything. Mia was at school and it was finally Friday, I was wandering around the house when Kelly pulled into the drive way and bounded up the stairs into the house.**

**Kelly: We still doing this?**

**Annabelle: For sure. Let me text Wade, he texted me earlier saying they were getting ready to leave.**

**To Wade: Hows it going?**

**Annabelle: Everyone is gone, except Mia who is at school.**

**Kelly: Good, your brother would fucking kill us if he knew what we were about to do.**

**Wade: On the road. Miss me already?**

**To Wade: Haha. Of course I do.**

**Wade: Good :) I'll be back Sunday. Dinner on Sunday?**

**To Wade: Sure :) Text me if you get tired on the road!**

**Wade: I'll text you if I dont. **

**Annabelle: They're gone. Lets go.**

**We took a car that no one had been driving lately, so no body would know when we parked down the road. It was just an old ford truck. I kept wondering to myself what we were going to find in that basement... Or maybe I just didn't want to know...**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Shorter than most of my stuff... but its better than nothing. I hope the next chapter dont take as long but work has been hectic and I've been sick. Thanks to everyone reading it!**

**Annabelle: Maybe this is not such a good idea...**

**Kelly: Its a little late to back out now dont you think?**

**She looked over at me with a sarcastic expression on her face. We had parked the old ford about three blocks from the actual house, because we were paranoid like that and had already started to walk the alley towards Wades house. Kelly was holding my hand and we were scaling the houses, most of them on that block were empty and old. We had to look like something out of a mission impossible movie, because that is sure how I felt. **

**Kelly: Let me ask you an honest question.**

**Annabelle: Shoot.**

**Kelly: What do you think is down there?**

**Annabelle: How the fuck am I supposed to know?**

**Kelly: Well because you've been out with him, you've seen the inside, you would know better than me. Just guess.**

**Annabelle: Old furniture I'm hoping. **

**I looked at her cautiously. Honestly I had no idea what we were walking into, and I was scared to death. We reached the side of Wades house and peeked over the side at Shannons. There was no one in the back yard or on the back porch. It was about 3:30 am and Shannons party should be long over and cleared out of there by now. I gave Kelly a small shove to urge her forward towards the back door. The side windows were locked and I didn't want to break into them, that surely would not go unnoticed.**

**Annabelle: Do you have a bobby pin? Something?**

**I whispered to her motioning to the lock. Like I said I was the master at picking locks. She dug into her hair and pulled out a bobby pin for me and I started to dig around in the lock, listening carefully as I did. Kelly was watching out for me making sure that nothing at Shannons house stirred, or any of the houses around us. After a couple of minutes I heard a satisfying 'click' noise and the door eased open with a loud creaking noise. Panicked I grabbed hold of Kellys arm and threw us both into the house shutting the door as quietly as I could behind me. For a moment or two we just sat there on the kitchen floor not breathing, waiting for someone... or something to come out and find us. Nothing did. I exhaled a long held breath and looked at Kelly shaking my head at the madness we were doing.**

**Annabelle: We should make sure the entire house is clear... before we pick that one.**

**I motioned to the door behind her which was locked up better than fort knox and she nodded her head at me. We stayed pretty low to the ground, even though the windows were shut and the blinds were drawn it didn't mean that our shadows could not be seen. The whole house was clear, we were the only ones inside for now and made our way back downstairs to the kitchen. I used her bobby pin to pick the padlock on the basement door. That lock took longer, my hands were all sweaty and my fingers were frantic. I just wanted to get in, get out, and go the fuck home. Finally the lock clicked and Kelly pulled the chain around the door off.**

**Kelly: Here goes nothing...**

**She turned the knob to the door and gave it a good push opening to the blackness below. She reached up for the light switch and I quickly grabbed her hand shaking my head no.**

**Annabelle: We need to go in and shut the door first... The light might attract unwanted attention.**

**She nodded at me and we entered into the darkness shutting the door behind us. Kelly flipped the switch and light flooded the steps leading down to the basement. The steps were claustrophobic, small, tight, and steep. We held onto each other as we made our way slowly down the steps to the bottom. **

**Kelly: You first.**

**She whispered to me backing up against the wall to let me pass. Slowly I peeked my head around the corner and let out a sigh of relief as it unfolded to furniture and pictures and old articles from there house. I took a few steps in and observed my surroundings my eyes focusing on a painting in the far corner of the room. As I neared it the man in the picture came more into view and appeared to be Wade.**

**Annabelle: Kelly... Look at this oil painting.**

**Kelly: Holy shit... It looks just like him... But, its like. Old.**

**She was right the painting looked like something from the 1600s and the clothes went to match the date. Carefully I picked up the painting and twirled it around to reveal the date on the back, June 14 1678.**

**Kelly: Maybe its like his great great grandpa or something?**

**She said walking around to a box laying on the old couch. I replaced the painting to exactly where and how I had found it and followed her around the room. Everything down here was so, old and dated. Than something on the far side of the basement caught my attention and I walked over to it. **

**Annabelle: What is this?**

**It was a door, where it lead was beyond me but it looked like a cooler door. I pulled on the handle... Locked. **

**Kelly: Can you pick it?**

**Annabelle: I dont know, never had to get into a cooler before.**

**The idea of picking the lock of the cooler made me extremely nervous because I know what they put in coolers. Either A: food, or B: bodies. And god damn I was really hoping the answer was A. I worked at the lock for what seemed like forever. I could just never get the right turn for the bobby pin. Finally after about ten minutes it clicked and I pulled the handle. **

**Annabelle: I almost dont even want to know...**

**Kelly was having none of that apparently because she grabbed over top of my hand and flug the cooler door open. Instantly I looked away, not wanting to know what was inside... Until Kelly gasped and her hands came up to her face. Slowly I turned my head to face the cooler, at first you would think it was your normal fridge there was milk, meat, cheese, food and the more you looked in the odder it became. Finally at the end of the cooler were containers filled with what looked to me to be cherry kool aid, but I could not have been so lucky. **

**Annabelle: Go grab one.**

**Kelly: Why me?**

**Annabelle: I've done all the work, go get the fuckin thing!**

**She hesitantly made her way into the cooler, grabbed a container of red and ran back out with a small squeal handing me the container. I opened it up and my nose was instantly filled with the metallic smell of fresh blood. Quickly I put the cap back on and put it back into the cooler, which was stocked to the very top with them. **

**Annabelle: I've seen enough. Time to fucking go.**

**Kelly nodded in agreement and we swung the cooler door shut and ran back up the stairs. At the top I turned the handle and motioned for her to turn off the light, which she took no time in doing. We were back in the kitchen, scared to death, fumbling around with the chain to the door.**

**Annabelle: You have to chain it exactly how we found it.**

**She wrapped it up all around the door hopefully how it was before and I put the lock back on clicking it shut. I pushed her towards the back door and quickly grabbed her again remembering the loud squeak that it had made when we entered.**

**Annabelle: Lets try the front... Shannon and everyone should be asleep and I know it doesn't make any noise.**

**Kelly: Ok.**

**She agreed with me and we quickly tip toed to the front door, I motioned towards the window for her to look out and make sure no one was sitting outside and that the lights were off. She looked back at me and gave a thumbs up and I opened the door. She exited first and I gently shut it behind me, quickly turning around and hoping off the porch to the side of the house. We stood against the house a moment making sure that no one had seen us. Once we realized that we were in the clear we bolted down the alley as fast as we both could run. We didnt look behind us and paid no attention to our surroundings at all, just ran for it. When we were finally in the safety of the truck did we decide to speak again.**

**Kelly: What the hell?**

**Annabelle: I dont know.**

**I turned over the truck and we got out of there. I looked at my phone which had three missed calls from Dom on it and a missed text from Wade.**

**Wade: What are you doing?**

**Annabelle: Getting ready for bed.**

**And than I called Dom.**

**Dom: Go.**

**Annabelle: What the hell do you want?**

**Dom: Love you to sis. What are you fucking doing?**

**Annabelle: Getting ready for bed.**

**Dom: You lie badly. But whatever. Dont forget about Shannons shit tomorrow.**

**Annabelle: Have I ever forgotten? **

**Dom: Love you.**

**Annabelle: Bye.**

**And I hung up the phone a little annoyed. **

**Wade: Are you sure?**

**Annabelle: Pretty sure.**

**We got back to the house around 5:00 am and to my surprise Mia was not at the house. Kelly came in with me, probably planning on staying the night and flopped down on the couch. Shortly after I joined her and exhaled, we were both pooped out. **

**Wade: Good night than.**

**Annabelle: Night.**

**It was a little odd to me that Wade would question if I was going to bed or not but being as tired as I was I just let it roll off my back. Kelly was already softly snoring next to me and I laid my head back against the couch, letting sleep take me. About finve minutes later, I was out.**


	7. Chapter 7

**I woke up the next morning groggy and a little confused. Had we really done what I thought we did last night? Great, looks like I can add breaking and entering to my list of illegal activities of the week. Kelly was still sound asleep on the couch so I got up quietly to start on my chours for the morning. **

**"Hi baby. Hows my big boy today?" I cooed at Thunder who was snorting and whinnying as I walked up to his stall. "Do you want to go outside for a while?" I asked him knowing his answer already. Effortlessly I opened the hatch to his stall and started walking towards the pasture. He pushed his stall door open with his head and trotted after me as I opened up the gate the blasted full speed into the pasture tossing his head around as he did so, making me giggle. My phone went off in my pocket as I was cleaning stalls, so I took a break and pulled it out. **

**"Did you sleep well?" It was from Wade**

**"Sure did. Like a baby." I responded back.**

**I pushed it into my pocket and finished the stall I was in. It was my last one than I could be done for the day and go shower to get ready. I walked up the house with the dogs trailing behind me, they were hungry I'm assuming. Kujo and Vamp were both pitbulls that I had rescued, they were used as fighting dogs before I had them... And were the best dogs I had ever had. **

**"Good. We just pulled back to the house. See you today?" From Wade**

**"Probably. I need to bring Shan some stuff later. Get all unpacked?" I sent back. I was a casual question right? I just wanted to make sure that he didn't think anything was out of place at his house or something that would give away that someone was there while they were gone. **

**"Yeah just finished. Good to be home. See you soon than." He replied.**

**I let out a sigh of relief that he didn't say anything to alarm me and I slammed the front door behind me hoping that Kelly would stir. She had slept the full two hours that it had taken me to clean stalls and feed horses. To my surprise she didn't even move. Quickly I poured out a couple bowls of dog food and set them on the floor to the begging animals at my feet.**

**"KELLY! GET UP!" I yelled at her and threw a pillow at her head. She groaned and turned her body away from me. "Kelly... Kelly... KELLY!" I hollared again. I was not the person you wanted to wake you up in the morning. **

**"I'm up. Shut up." She moaned at me.**

**"Wade has texted me already. Said that someone was in his house and he was calling the police for breaking and entering." I said cooly waiting for her reply. It took a few seconds for that to sink in aparently before she was wide awake in a panic. "I'm kidding." I said to her and I could see the anger in her eyes at me. "But... he has texted me this morning. They're back and unpacked, he didn't say anything like that." I said hoping that the subject would move away from my rude awake. **

**"Good." Was all she said. **

**"So do you want me to take you home before I take this shit over to Shannons? Or do you want to come with me?" I asked her knowing that she would want me to take her home. She wants to stay far away from that place now, I can tell.**

**"Take me home. I need to shower and get ready for the day." She replied confirming what I had thought in the first place. I motioned for her to come down stairs so we could leave and grabbed my keys. **

**I dropped Kelly off at her house and headed towards Shannons. A few minutes after I had dropped her off she had called me saying to be careful when I got there, maybe it was just a front he was putting off. I thought about that the whole way there hoping that she was wrong. Shannon wouldn't let anyone hurt me anyway. I parked the truck out in front of the house. Shannon was sitting on the porch waiting for me, a big smile crossing his face when he saw me pull up. Heath and Justin were sitting on the steps outside of Wades house. Justin glared at me in no particular way and Heath who I had had a confrontation with in the beginning was also glaring at me with dismay, but was slowly replaced by a small cocky grin. **

**"Whats going on sugar?" Shannon asked me as I walked up the drive way towards his house.**

**"Same shit different day." I replied back to him smiling. Once I reached the porch I haded him the box that I was instructed on delivering. He took it and tossed it into the house.**

**"So Dom called me last night asking if I had seen you. He seems to think that you were up to something naughty last night." He said grinning down at me. "You wouldn't leave me out of something naughty would you?" He asked with a pouty look on his face.**

**"Of course not." I replied to him. "He called me last night to. Me and Kelly watched movies all night and went to bed. I dont know what the hell his deal was." I said hoping that my story was believable.**

**"Thats cool. Watch anything good?" He asked testing my statement.**

**"Avatar was good. We watched I know what you did last summer too. We had both seen it but sometimes it cool to watch old movies." I began answering his question when I heard the front door shut next door and looked over to see Wade walking out. He looked at me and grinned, leaning up against one of the pillars to their house. **

**"Nice to see you darlin." He drawled at me. "Shannon, morning." He added looking at Shannon who nodded back.**

**"Morning. Glad you made it back alright." I said. It was hard to talk to him like this and not ask about the containers of blood that were in his basement, but I tried to act as cool and collected as I could. **

**"Yeah... So when can we get together again?" He asked me.**

**"It doesn't matter." I responded back to him smiling sweetly. I could see Heath still looking at me, the expression he had earlier was gone and it almost looked like a hint of jealously was crossing his face, but I didn't dare look him in the eye.**

**"Well come over tonight. We'll watch a movie or TV or just hang out." He said looking at me expectantly. **

**Shit.**

**"Ok. Sounds good." I said back as the heat rose to my cheeks. **

**"Cool, come by around 8 or something like that. I need to head into town so I'll text you later babe." He said and turned to walk towards his car. I watched him get in and drive away before I turned around to face Shannon.**

**"Ok well I"m going to go home for a while. Text me or something." I said and he nodded at me before walking into his own house. I turned and headed towards my car feeling Heaths eyes boring into my back. Justin had gotten up and walked in the house but Heath was still outside sitting on the steps. **

**"See you tonight Annabelle." Heath said at me. His voice was warming actually, it wasn't tainted with venom and was not said in a harsh tone like I would have expected it to be. **

**"Bye." I said and got into my truck. For some reason ever since he flipped out on me in the house that day Heath made me nervous. He didn't scare me or anything, I just was not sure of what he was capable of and it made me a little weary of him. It also made me wonder what was going to happen when I came over tonight... **


	8. Chapter 8

**When I got back to the ranch Dom was home along with everyone else. Great now I get to answer questions about what I was doing last night. Think Annabelle think, make a story. A good one. Reluctantly I got out of the car and walked up the walk way to the house. The instant the door shut I was jumped. **

**"What did you and Kelly do last night?" Dom asked me curiously trying to cover up the tone of voice he really had with me. He leaned up against the door frame as I pushed past him into the kitchen.**

**"I told you, we watched a couple movies and went to bed." I answered back with little emotion in my voice. "Jeez Dominic what is your problem?" I asked him more annoyed. **

**"I just had a feeling that were doing a little bit more than watching movies thats all." He replied back watching my every emotion.**

**"Well why dont you tell me what you guys did when you mysteriously drove away and didn't mention anything till you were already gone?" I shot back at him. **

**"Touche." He responded putting his hands in the air signaling defeat. "What are your plans tonight than?" He asked trying to change the subject.**

**"I'm getting getting dressed and heading back to town. Wade and I are going to watch a movie tonight." I said back to him. **

**"Mmmmm" Was all he said as I pranced down the stairs and into my bed room. I figured that I didn't have to wear anything special since we were not going out so I decided on a pair of blue jeans and a button up black shirt leaving a few of the buttons undone at the top to show a bit of cleavage. I was putting my hair up into a pony tail when Kelly called me.**

**"Hey" I answered.**

**"Hey whats up? How was the Shannon run?" She asked.**

**"Oh ya know same as always." **

**"What are you doing tonight?" She questioned.**

**"I'm watching a movie with Wade." I answered.**

**"Wait... Like at his house?" **

**"Yeah like at his house." I confirmed.**

**"You are a crazy bitch. I wouldn't be caught dead over there ever again." She stated.**

**"ANNABELLE! Get out side now!" Dom yelled from the front door with urgency. **

**"Kel I gotta go, somethings up. I'll call you later." **

**"Let me know that you're still alive please." And she hung up. **

**I could sense the urgecy in Doms voice so I ran up the stairs and outside as fast as my legs would take me and out the door. "Where are you?" I hollared to no one in particular.**

**"Over here come and look at this... You're not going to like it." He said his voice coming from the cow pen.**

**I walked over in that direction cautiously. There lying at Dominics feet was one of the bulls, Rocky as I affectionatly called him, dead. "What happened...?" I stuttered walking over and kneeling down next to him.**

**"I dont know. Ryan just found him like this." Dom said examining the body. "Look at the puncture marks on his neck... They're just like the ones on the giraffe from last week." **

**I ran my fingers over the two holes on his neck. Whatever attacked Rocky sucked him dry. For a second the thought crossed my mine about Wades basement and the containers of blood we found there. Was Rocky one of those containers...? No. No. Absolutly not. There had to be some type of reasonable explination for all of this. **

**"Well call the vet and have him take care of the body and figure out cause of death. Its all we can do at this point." I stated trying to hold back my tears. It made me sad to lose any animal on the ranch and Rocky was one of my favorite bulls. "Whatever is attacking our animals is slick and quiet. I dont know when this happened but it had to have been recent. He is still warm." **

**Dom pulled me to my feet and I started walking towards my car the thoughts in my head running a hundred miles a minute. "I'm leaving!" I yelled back to Dom and hopped into my truck. About a half hour later I was pulling into Wades drive way, Heath was still perched on the steps outside the house. I wondered if he had even moved since I had left earlier this after noon. **

**"Where's Wade?" I asked him as I got out of my truck, slamming the door behind me.**

**"He is on his way back from the store." He replied. "Come in." He added opening the front door for me. "Its only me home." He said probably trying to reasure my confidence... Unfortunatly it didn't not make me feel better at all but agaisnt my better judgement I walked into the front door. He had no less shut it and I was pinned against the wall. He wasn't hurting me, but had enough of a hold on me to get my attention. I could feel the heat of his breath on my forhead as I stared at the floor.**

**"You were in this house while we were gone." He said very matter of factly.**

**"No..." I managed to squeak out.**

**"Dont lie to me. I can smell you all over it." He answered. "Wade says its from the first time you were in here... But I dont buy it. Your scent is fresher and I would know it anywhere." He said taking a deep inhale. **

**For some reason I was not scared. Very nervous but I somehow knew that Heath had no intentions of hurting me. "I dont know what you're talking about, I was home all weekend." I answered back in a soft barely audible tone.**

**"You keep playing that game sweet heart." He said brushing his fingers along my cheek bone. "Like I said I'm not buying it." **

**He was running his fingers through my hair when I instantly paniced. I could feel something growing on my leg and I didn't have to guess what it was. This was making him horney? Really? I pushed him away firmly hoping that he would just stop but instead he held me tighter against the door.**

**"Dont fight me." He ordered. "Its not worth it." **

**"Plus I know you want me... I can see it in your eyes." He whispered in my ear making me shutter. He left a light trail of kisses on my ear and along my neck line. I thought that maybe I was about to give in when he quickly let go. "This is our secret." And he started up the stairs towards his bed room. **

**A car door shut outside and I assumed that was Wade. How did Heath know that he was back already? **

**"Hey, glad you made it." Wade said as he walked in the door and broad smile across his face.**

**"Yeah I almost didn't." I said hoping he would ask me why. I wanted to see his expression when I told him about the dead bull.**

**"What happened?" **

**Jackpot.**

**"Rocky... One of my favorite bulls, he was so sweet to everyone... Anyway we just found him dead." Nothing special so far... "With two puncture marks on his neck. And last week one of our giraffes was attacked the same way. Whatever this thing is it needs to be taken care of. I cant leave the ranch without worry if my animals are going to be ok or not." I explained. **

**When I mentioned the holes in his neck Wades eyes automatically shifted to the floor I noticed that right away but other than that there was no obvious sign of anything. **

**"Sorry to hear that. Its obvious they need to something about this animal... Whatever it is." He said giving my shoulder a rub in an attempt at comfort. "What did you want to watch?" He asked me changing the subject. **

**"Whatever you want. I"m not picky" I answer sitting down on the couch in the living room. He nodded and walked over to the DVD player popping in a movie and walked back over to the couch to join me. He said down next to me putting an arm around me shoulder and pulling me into him. The movie was just starting when I noticed that I had not even heard him breat since he sat down. Slightly concerned I looked to my left to see his eyes boring into me, which he quickly snapped out of.**

**"Have you seen Heath tonight?" He asked casually.**

**Shit. He knew. How?**

**"Uhm... Yeah he let me in. Hes upstairs I think." I answered him a little unsteadily.**

**"Hmmm." He answered and focused on the movie pulling me a little bit closer to him. My body instantly responded to his touch and a snuggled myself against his side, resting my head on his shoulder. We watched a movie called Posin Ivy and somehow I managed to stay awake through the entire movie, which trust me doesn't happen very often. When it got over we just sat there in silence for a couple of minutes.**

**"You dont have to go home you know..." He suggested.**

**"But I should... I should be sleeping outside with a shot gun is what I should be doing." I answered back Rocky coming back into my thoughts again. **

**"I'm sure that Dom has everything under control." He assured me. "Stay with me tonight. Please?" He pleaded with me. For a moment it felt like he needed me to stay. There is a big difference between needing someone and wanting someone... And it feels like he needs me, it felt good. **

**"Alright." I gave in and let him lead me upstairs towards his bed room. Silently in my head I said a small prayer asking god if there was one to please not let him be some freak animal or vampire and if he is to please not let him eat me tonight. I wanted to see morning. **

**"This is it... Not much but its comfortable" He said waving his hand to a huge bed in the middle of his room. "And dont worry your the only girl that has even seen my bedroom, so the sheets are clean." He smiled and I thought I may have seen him blush in the dim light of the room. **

**"Its fine." I said taking a seat on the bed and pulling out my phone to set on the night stand. I had a missed text message... Funny I didn't even hear or feel my phone go off. **

**"If Wade cant satisfy your needs I'm right just in the next bedroom." **

**The message came from a number that I had never seen before but I had no problem placing who it was. Heath. It was going to be an interesting night... **


	9. Authors Note

Authors Note: Hey guys! So I'm getting a lot of personal messages and reviews about updating and stuff. I just moved from one side of the northern part of the States to the southern part and I don't have a computer at the moment. I haven't forgotten about any of my stories and I plan on getting to writing some new chapters as soon as I get a computer (probably a week or 2). Thanks to all of you who are still sticking with me! 3

~Annabelle


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Finally got myself a lap top! Expect updates regularly XD

"Everything ok?" Wade asked me as we got situated in bed together.

"N- Yes… Everything is fine." I replied a little shakily. He looked at me with a skeptical look. Like 'why are you lying to me?' kind of look.

"Are you sure?" He asked pryingly.

"Maybe this isn't a good idea just yet…" I replied to him as my mind flooded with thoughts of what was in his basement and what was lurking in the darkness of the next room. "I'm not entirely comfortable." I said unsurely looking him directly in the eyes. I was reading his face for a sign of what he might be thinking.

He pondered on what I said for a moment and was about to argue with my decision. "You're not comfortable with me?" He said before quickly regaining composure and speaking again. "Alright, I understand. I'll walk you to your car." He said between his gritted teeth. I could tell that he was slightly upset as we started to walk down the hallway.

"Leaving so soon?" Heath drawled as he leaned his frame against the door.

"I need to speak with you when I come back inside." Wade said to him in a harsh tone. Something told me that Wade knew it was Heath that had made me so uncomfortable. Which was fine, as long as he didn't find out that his basement gave me the same feeling.

"Looking forward to it." He said and slipped back into the shadows of his bedroom.

We made our way down the stairs and out the front door. Wade opened up the car door for me and I quickly stepped inside.

"I'm sorry about Heath, he'll warm up to you eventually." Wade said to me resting his arms on the roof of my car. I smiled at him softly and nodded.

"It's alright. I would feel better at home anyway. If anything happens to my animals while I'm gone I would never forgive myself." I replied to him.

He nodded at me and leaned into the car placing a light sensual kiss on my forehead. "I'll see you later. Text me when you get home so I know you made it alright." He said before shutting my car door.

I let out a long sigh of relief before turning over the engine and heading off down the road. I was so preoccupied with Wade that I hadn't even noticed Shannon standing on his front porch. I waved to him as I passed and focused on getting home.

"Leaving so soon? I was hoping to finish what we had started." The message was from Heath. I hated to admit it but something about his darkness was completely sexy.

Mental head slap.

'Belles you need to stop that. Men are what got you in trouble in the first place.' I said out loud to myself as I pulled into our driveway. All the lights in the house were off which meant that everyone was either gone or sleeping.

"I think you should stay away from Wade's house. Something isn't right there." This time the message was from Shannon. 'Yes Shan, I know it's not right he has containers of fucking blood in this basement!' I thought to myself.

"Why?" Was all I sent back.

After a moment of regaining myself I hopped out of the car and headed towards the entrance of the rescue to check up on everyone. It was just the usual amount of noise right now which was a good sign, which meant that there was no threat.

"Just trust me on this one Banana. I don't want you over there anymore, don't make me tell Dom." Shannon threatened me in a text message. Something bad was going to go down… But what?

"You can't control who I see and who I don't and neither can Dom. Tell me why or mind your own fucking business Shan!" I replied to him. Shannon knew something and he was holding out on me. He either told me what was really going on, or I would have to put myself in harm's way to find out myself. It took me about a half hour to do my rounds of the rescue but when it was all done I was relieved to find that every animal that was breathing when I left, was still breathing when I got home. HOME. Shit I had forgotten to text Wade that I got here. Quickly I pulled out my phone.

"I'm home." Was all I said.

"He isn't safe." Shannon's message read.

"I'm going to bed. Talk to you tmw." I sent back, it wasn't worth arguing over tonight. I was exhausted.

"I'm home and alive… And off to bed." That one was sent to Kelly so she knew that I didn't get drained last night.

"Ok goodnight." From Wade.

I walked into the empty house and tossed my purse onto the kitchen counter. Without a reason I rummaged through the fridge, realized that there was nothing to eat and made my way downstairs to my bedroom. I dug through my drawers and put on an old oversized tee shirt and collapsed in bed. My mind had just about gone blank when I swear I felt something on my bed. When I turned over to look, figuring it was the dog I was instantly pinned to the bed by my wrists. He was not holding me down hard enough to hurt me, but I for sure wasn't going anywhere either.

"You got me into trouble tonight." The voice said. It didn't take me long to recognize it. Heath.

"You got yourself into trouble." I replied to him.

"Wade seems to think that I make you uncomfortable." He said ignoring my response. His eyes were boring into me and at that point I was afraid. How did he get into the house? I religiously lock EVERYTHING before I go to bed.

"Gee I'm not sure where he would get that idea from." I said to him with a little attitude. The key was to not show fear right? They could smell that. Ah hell who am I kidding that was not going to work.

"Feisty. I like it." He said, a sinister grin crossing his face. With little trouble he moved my wrists so that both were in one hand. He used the other hand to cup my face as he kissed me with a fiery passion. He was still kissing me when his hand left my face and began a trail down my neck, atop my breasts, over my stomach and found a resting place on the mound between my legs.

"Get off her." A stern voice came from my bed room door. I knew the voice, it wasn't Wade but I still couldn't place it. Heath let out a low chuckle his head was resting in the crook of my head and shoulder.

"Shannon, nice to see you neighbor." He replied releasing my wrists and lifting off me with ease. "I'll be seeing you." He said looking at me before quietly slipping out my side window.

The window I had locked before I crawled into bed.

"Are you ok?" Shannon asked still standing in the doorway.

"I'm alright Shan, why are you standing in my doorway?" I asked him noticing that the whole time he had been here he hadn't entered my room

"Sorry." He said as he walked in and sat on the bed next to me. He lightly ran his fingers through my hair and took a look at my wrists. "I told you." He said.

"Shut up." Was all I said back to him. "Stay with me tonight?" I asked him.

"Of course." He said and tucked himself in the bed on the other side of me. Well I was safe for the rest of the night but something told me that this shit wasn't over. About an hour later I retreated into a restless sleep.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Here is the next chapter. It's a little bland I'm sorry but it's leading up to something big! Promise! Thanks to all my readers :p

When I woke up the clock said 8:09.

"I have to tell Dom." Shannon said behind me. Geez don't waste any time there buddy.

"Tell him what?" I asked trying to play dumb.

"About Heath being here last night. Tbird there is no guarantee that I will be here next time he sneaks in. God only knows what he was about to do to you. You can't be left here alone anymore." He said to me concern lacing his voice.

"No. No way. Dom will FREAK out. "I started to panic. Its true Dom would flip a nut if he knew that Heath had snuck in here last night. God only knows what Dom would do to him and I would probably never be able to see Wade again or leave the house again for that matter.

"Shannon?" Doms voice yelled from upstairs.

"Down here!" He answered back.

Dom came down the stairs with a confused look on his face. "What are you doing here? In my sister's bed?" He asked peculiarly.

"We're dating! Uh, yeah we're dating Dom. And I didn't want you find out because I knew you would freak out." I stammered out not even thinking about what I had just said.

"I should have told you man, but she wanted me to wait." Shannon added without missing a beat.

I let out a sigh of relief. Dominic looked at us both with speculation.

"Mia is making breakfast. Hungry?" He finally said about staring holes through us.

"Be up in a few." I told him and he turned around and headed back up the stairs. I saw him shake his head in confusion as he walked away.

"Thank you." I said looking at Shannon who had a grin from ear to ear.

"You do realize that you just told you brother that we were dating right?" He asked me chuckling a little bit.

"Sounded good at the time." I said shrugging my shoulders. "Don't get any ideas." I added grinning at him. Shannon and I had always joked around about dating and being together but nothing even happened. I'm not sure why, he was very attractive and had a great personality. He was probably 6 foot nothing, shoulder length blonde hair with black highlights, amazing eyes, great body and he was put together well.

"Me? Ideas? Nooooo…" He said punching my shoulder. "Let's go upstairs and get some breakfast." He said hopping up from the bed and extending his arm out to me. Without hesitation I took it and we headed up the stairs were 6 pairs of skeptical eyes were waiting. No one said anything as we sat down at the table but we were defiantly the topic of discussion before we so rudely interrupted it.

"Morning!" I said cheerfully to everyone as I sat down. There was a few mumbled 'mornings in response.

"So why did you and Shanny boy decide to hook up?" Letty asked me. You could tell by the tone of her voice that she wasn't buying it at all. Shannon and I looked at each other and back at Letty.

"Why is this coming as such a shock to everyone?" I asked back at her.

"Just kinda happened so suddenly. I mean Shannon didn't come over here, you didn't go over there… That we know of. You've been hanging around Wade a lot, it's clear that Wade likes you. You two haven't gone on any kind of dates. But now we get home and he is down stairs in your room in your bed and you're dating. I was just curious of how it came to be." She explained in more detail than what I needed to hear.

"Shit happens." Shannon said. "If it a problem we can discuss it?" He said very sincerely to the entire table. Everyone looked at one another and shrugged their shoulders nodding a no.

"Then let's eat." Mia said trying to break the tension at the table. She placed the food in the center of the table and everyone reached in.

We finished breakfast quietly… and awkwardly and Shannon and I walked outside.

"You want a ride home?" I asked him starting to pull out my keys.

"Uh, no. The last thing I need is to bring you back there." He said and I felt a stab of hurt. Shannon must've seen it because he quickly added, "You know normally it wouldn't be a problem but I'm the only one that is going to be home. If something happened I wouldn't be able to protect my 'woman' against five of them." He said smirking at me.

"Wade wouldn't let that happen." I said matter of factly. We both turned our attention to the front door that had just slammed behind us. Dom, Letty, and Vince came walking towards us.

"Come on Shan, Belles. Get in I'll give you a ride home." Dom said pointing to his car. There was no point in protesting because it was Doms way… No highway option.

Ten minutes later we were pulling up in front of Shannon's house. My body tensed up when I saw Wade on the front porch and Heath in the garage. You could see the others moving about inside the house, not noticing that we pulled up.

"Thanks for the ride Dominic." Shannon said as he locked eyes with Heath who had a smug grin on his face. "And I'll see you later." He emphasized 'you' and leaned in and kissed me. It was a hard kiss but not rough and enough to send an electric current through me. Without thinking I returned the kiss pulling on his bottom lip a little.

"Text me." I said as he started to get out of the car. He walked up the driveway and nodded at Wade who had a confused look on his face as he went from me to Shannon and back to me.

"Alright you got me. I believe you." Dom said as we drove off.

"What are you talking about?" I asked chuckling a bit.

"You and Shan. I didn't believe you. But now I do. He's a good guy Belles." Dom said praising my 'dating' Shannon. 'Oh lord have mercy if he only knew what was really going on.' I thought to myself as we headed back home.

"Uhm… Did I miss something?" Text from Wade.

"Shannon won't always be around. We'll finish what we started soon enough." Text from Heath.

"WTF? You're dating Shannon?" Text from Kelly.

I did a mental head slap and tried to figure out how I was going to explain this situation to Kelly over a text message.

"Long story. Will call later. Yes dating Shanny." Sent to Kelly.

I ignored the other two messages, not knowing what to say to Wade and not wanting to answer Heath.

"I miss you already baby. ;)" Text from Shannon.

"Wade has already texted me. Dunno what to say…?" I texted back ignoring his message.

"Come to our party tonight. We can stay in my room and watch movies or something. Don't want you home alone." He texted back. 'What? Home alone?' I asked myself.

"Dom what are you doing tonight?" I asked him breaking the silence in the car.

"We need to make a run to Reno why?" He answered back looking in the rear view mirror at me.

"Just wondering." I said and stared out the window.

"Alright. But don't let any of those people get me!" I texted to Shannon giving into his request. The last party of his I went to didn't end well. Hopefully this one will have a better outcome….


	12. Chapter 12

A/n: Party time! Whoop! Here is the next chapter you amazing readers you! :p I got board today cuz it rained ALL FREAKING DAY so I worked on all my stories

"YOUR GOING TO SHANNONS PARTY?" Kellys voice yelled over the phone to me. She was very upset with me right now.

"He thinks that it's the only way to keep me 'safe'." I replied to her. "Plus Dom and everyone are going to be gone tonight which leaves me alone at the house. What if that fiery red head just happens to drop in again?" I asked her.

"I'll stay with you." She said very seriously.

"Yes Kelly. And when he comes what will we attack him with? You straitener?" I said sarcastically back to her.

"Be safe." She said to me concern lacing her voice. "What did Wade have to say about you and Shannon being an 'item' now?" She asked me.

"Oh… I haven't exactly told him yet. Been ignoring his text messages." I said to her.

"Nice." Was all she said. "Well that's going to be interesting, because you know he is probably going to be there tonight." She said to me.

"I know. I'll cross that bridge when it comes." I replied. "Anyway I need to get ready to go, I'm leaving when everyone else leaves the house so I wont have to be here at all by myself." I said to her.

"Alright. Please keep me posted tonight." She said. "I'll talk to you later."

"Bye." I said and hung up the phone. I walked over to my closet and rummaged through it looking for something to wear tonight that was sexy but not too sexy. I wanted to catch Shannon's attention but not everyone elses.

Mental head slap.

Why did I care about impressing Shannon? We were only doing this to keep me safe. Right? Ok honestly I didn't know what I wanted at this point and time. After careful consideration I rested on a pair of black cargo pants with a yellow spaghetti strap tank top and my black lacey bra/panties combo. Only because you could see just a hint of the black bra under my shirt.

"On my way. PLEASE meet me outside." Sent to Shannon

"Belles? We're leaving!" Dom yelled down the stairs.

"Alright I'll be up. What are you driving?" I asked him.

"Chloe." He responded. Chloe was what he had named the mustang. 'Good than I can drive my truck' I thought to myself. If you haven't noticed I'm a little bit possessive over my truck, it was my baby.

"K." I said coming up the steps. I grabbed my truck keys off the hanger by the door and picked up my purse off the counter.

"Where are you going?" Dom asked me with his protective big brother voice.

"To Shannons." I replied back. He looked down at me and rolled his eyes.

We all walked out of the house together and I hopped up into my big ole truck. I waved to Letty and turned out the engine, put it in first and drove down the long drive way towards the highway.

"Already outside." Text from Shannon.

"Be about ten minutes." Sent back to Shannon.

About fifteen minutes later I was pulling in front of Shannons house. He bounded down the steps and hopped into the truck before I could even turn it off.

"Drive down the block." He instructed me.

"Why?" I said looking at him confused, but still doing as I was told.

"I'm hoping if I park you somewhere else that Wade wont know you're here." He replied.

I only nodded in agreement. That was a good idea and I hadn't thought about it.

"Pull into the alley and park in the big black garage there, Evan already said you could leave it in here." Shannon said pointing to the garage in the alley. I pulled the truck in and killed the motor. We both hopped out and Shannon shut the garage door.

"Come on baby." He said to me holding his hand out and emphasizing 'baby'.

I took it grinning at him. I couldn't help but smile when I was with him and I didn't even say anything about him calling me baby…. Actually I kind of liked it. We walked up to the house mostly in silence. He didn't want anyone from Wades house hearing me. As we climbed the stairs to the back door we were met by Jeff, Shannons very unfriendly room mate. Jeff has always given me those nasty ass looks and has never spoken a word to me. I got to the house early so it was still pretty empty.

"Whats up girl." Jeff greeted me with a half smile on his face. It took me a few seconds to respond out of shock.

"Hey…" I said back to him a little unsure stepping into the house. Shannon had his hand on the small of my back giving me a little push. We walked into the kitchen where Matt, Lita, and Shane were all standing around drinking. Shannon grabbed a beer out of the fridge and offered me one. I shook my head in decline.

I was not getting drunk with these people.

"You want water? Juice? Soda?" Lita asked me very politely. We had never really talked much but she was always nice. Always smiled if I walked by, said hi, just friendly.

"No thanks, I'm alright." I said back to her.

"We're not going to poison your shit." Jeff said coming up behind us. "Shannons has told us everything that is going on. Contrary to what you may think, you're safe here." He said trying to reassure me.

We all turned our heads when the front door slammed. A few seconds later Wade, Heath, and Justin were standing in the kitchen with us. Shannon had a hold on the back on my cargo pants and Jeff had moved in just inches away from where we were standing.

"Annabelle." Wade said. "Could I have a moment?" He asked pointing to the living room. Before I could respond Shannon spoke up.

"We were actually just headed down stairs." He said hoping that Wade wouldn't press the matter anymore.

"Ok. You go down stairs, Belles can come into the living room for a few words and she'll be right down to join you." Wade said still very calm.

"Just go downstairs and I"ll be down in a minute." I said to him. Immediately Jeff tensed up next to me as well and Shannon. "I don't think that Heath and Justin need to be involved in our discussion." I added looking at Wade.

"They are just here for the party." He said to me. "No worries. Come here." He said extending his hand out to me.

Shannon's grip on my pants dropped and I took Wade's hand. He led me into the living room while Heath and Justin headed upstairs. Heath had locked eyes with me as he walked up the stairs giving me a wink when he reached the top.

"Why are you ignoring my messages?" He asked me as we sat down on the couch.

"I've been busy today, I wasn't ignoring you." I said back to him.

"Fine, that's not important. What is important is that you and Shannon are suddenly 'dating' and I know something is going on with Heath. We'll start with Shannon." He said leaving it wide open.

"We've always liked each other. Shit just happens, I cant help that." Well it wasn't all a lie. "I'm sorry though, I should have told you when it happened." I said to him.

"You're lying." He drawled. He said it calmly with no threat in his voice. But he knew that I wasn't telling the truth. "Which leads me to my next question… Has Heath threatened you?" He asked me, his eyes boring into me.

"No." I said.

"Why are you lying to me? Belles I want to help, but I can't if you wont tell me what is actually going on around here, and you know damn well that fucking ginger up there isn't saying shit." He said his voice raising a couple octaves. Shannons voice kept ringing in my head 'don't tell him shit' it kept saying.

"Don't lie to me." He said firmly. People were starting to pour in for the party at this point and Wades raised voice was starting to cause a scene. Everyone was staring at us and it was making me very uncomfortable. "When you open your mouth again it had better be the truth." He said to me. I just sat there dumbfounded. I didn't know what to say, so what better than nothing at all. You could see in Wades eyes that he was starting to lose his cool, those gentle beautiful eyes were now a coal black and filled with anger and frustration. He was about to say something else when Shannon piped in.

"Why don't you ask that fucking red headed rapist up there what is going on instead of interrogating the one person who has accepted you in this town?" Shannon shouted at him. This caught Wades attention and he turned his head away from me.

"Excuse me?" He said to Shannon. "I wouldn't be accusing people of something you don't know anything about you little prick." He spat at him. This was a side of Wade I had not seen before.

I hopped up from the couch only to be yanked by down by Wade who by now was furious. Without thinking I smacked him across the chest. Hard. He looked at me wide eyed his eyes still full of anger.

"Tbird. Come here." Shannon instructed me. I got up from the couch and walked over to where Shannon was and pulled him down the stairs after me. "My room is on the right." He said emotionlessly.

"Where do you think you're going?" Wade came from behind us and pulled Shannon around. It only took about five seconds for Jeff, Matt, Shane and Lita to be down stairs with us. Lita grabbed my hand and pulled me over to where she was standing.

"Are we going to have a problem?" Matt asked Wade.

"Oh we have a problem. You mohawked little freak here needs to watch his mouth." Wade replied staring at Shannon. Apparently that was all it took for Shannon to snap because he pounced on top of Wade like a fucking cat. The only thing you saw on the floor was a blur of movement. Wade and Shannon scratching at eachother and throwing punches left and right. I looked at the stairs where Heath and Justin were casually making their way down the stairs. They watched the fight like it was nothing.

When I looked back down I could tell that blood was running from someone as the floor was beginning to turn a deep shade of red. Lita tightened her grip on my arm when she saw my eyes widen.

"STOP!" I yelled at both of them. "That's enough!" I added.

"Its pointless Annabelle, they can't hear you." Lita told me. I looked at her confused until I heard a dog yelp behind me. What had been two men on the ground fighting was now two wolf like animals ripping each other apart. One was noticeably larger than the other. I had to do something to make this stop of someone… or something was going to end up dead.

"Heath tried to rape me!" I blurted out without thinking. The next thing I knew Heath had me up against the wall by my throat his face masked with total rage.

"You snitching little whore." He whispered to me.

"Get off her Heath!" Wade said grabbing his friend by the collar and throwing him against the wall with little effort. I looked at him astonished. "He did what?" He said looking at me. Wade was bleeding from the lip and his arm was pretty tore up I looked over at Shannon who had a few scratches on his face and a large gash across his chest.

"Don't make me say it again…" I said barely auditable not looking him in the eye.

His eyes went from me, to Heath, around the room, and back to me. His shoulders slumped a bit before he responded. Heath was still on the floor where Wade had put him staring at me. "I'm sorry I ever bother you Annabelle." He said in retreat. "And I'm sorry Heath ever bothered you." He said between gritted teeth as he walked over to where Heath was. He grabbed him by his shirt collar and pulled him to his feet pushing him up the stairs. Justin followed the pack up the stairs and after a few seconds the door shut.

"Baby? Are you ok?" Shannon asked me cupping my face in his hands and pushing the lose hair from my face. "Maybe you should sit down." He said to me leading me into his bedroom and pushing me down gently on the bed. He knelt down beside me, "hey?" He asked looking for a response. I was in shock. I had just witnessed things that if said aloud would send you strait to the mental ward.

"What, was that?" I managed to stutter out.

"We're shape shifters." He stated flatly.

"Werewolves." I said back.

"Shape shifter. Big difference." He corrected me. I look down at him.

"Name one." I said to him.

"Werewolves only change on full moons and can only die from a silver bullet. Yes all the childhood stories are true. Shape shifters change whenever they please and can die from anything a normal human can." He explained to me. "You cant say anything about this Tbird. To anyone." He said emphasizing 'anyone'. He knew damn well that Kelly was going to be my first phone call when I got out of here.

"Why is there a freezer full of blood in Wades house?" I asked Shannon.

"How do you know?" Jeff asked me stepping in front of me.

"Kelly and I snuck in there when they left town…" I said to him. As my sentence came out a smile grew across Jeffs face. I could see that Matt and Shane were also pleased. "What did I miss?" I asked confused.

"We think that our wonderful neighbors are the ones who have been going around and massacring the animals. They store the blood so that they don't have to hunt as much." Matt said answering my question but raising another.

"Hunt?" I asked to no one in particular.

"Some of us chose to hunt as wolves. They are the 'some' that do." Shannon stated. "Come on let me get you a tee shirt and some pants to wear, you look tired." He said to me getting up and walking towards his closet.

"Do you need something hun?" Lita asked me placing a hand on my shoulder. It must have been obvious that I was in serious shock mixed with some fear.

"I'm ok." I said back to her.

"Here put these on." He said tossing a big black tee shirt and a pair of sweat pants at me. "Alright guys give her some room we're going to go to bed." Shannon said to everyone in the room. They all nodded and started to file out. Lita gave me a reassuring pat on the shoulder before following Matt up the stairs. Once everyone was out of the room Shannon shut and locked the door. "Are you ok? Seriously? You're really pale. Do you want something to eat?" he asked with concern.

"I'm fine. Really. I just need some time to digest." I responded to him getting up to go to the bathroom and change clothes. I came out a few minutes later and crawled under the covers. Shannon was not in the room so I quickly picked up my phone to text Kelly.

"I really am truly sorry. I had no idea about Heath." From Wade.

"I have some shit to tell you when I get up outta here tmw. CALL ME IN MORNING. To Kelly.

'Jesus' I thought to myself. What did I get myself into?


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Writing this story, and eating peanut butter oreos with milk at about 2am. I am bad, oh yes I am :p lol Here ya go guys. So I totally HAVE to be accident prone, cuz I stepped on my laptop a few weeks back and busted the screen. It's still not fixed but I have it hooked up to a monitor. Doin what I can guys!

I quickly silenced my phone as I heard Shannon's footsteps coming down the stairs. He came through the door with a couple bottles of water and a box of pizza. He handed me a bottle of water and set the box down in the middle of the bed, than looked me over.

"What's the stupid grin about Shanny?" I asked him taking a sip of the water.

"You look good in my pants. Well and my shirt for that matter." He said grinning goofily at me. I stuck my tongue out at him and sat down on the bed and dug into the pizza box. It wasn't until then that I realized how hungry I really was. "I figured you should have some water, you looked pretty pale earlier." He said to me and joined me on the bed.

"That was a lot to take in." I replied to him tearing off a bite of pizza. "But now at least everything makes sense. Kelly and I were tearing our hair out trying to put the puzzle together." I told him.

"You can't tell Kelly anything Banana. If anyone were to find out about this… Honestly we'd be the next science project." He stated.

"I won't say anything…" I said to him than added, "As long as you keep me fully satisfied I'll keep my mouth shut."

"You're a tease." He said flatly.

"You're my boyfriend. It's your job to satisfy me." I said again this time smiling at him.

"Pretend remember?" He stated chewing on a slice of pizza and raising an eyebrow at me.

"It doesn't have to be." I said back to him. "But as you wish." I added and snuggled under the covers. "No more excitement for the night right?" I asked him.

"Promise." He said back to me. "Do you know when Dom is coming back?" He asked as he turned out the light.

"Few days. But its fine, I can stay at home. " I replied to him. He looked at me lifting an eyebrow as if to say 'uh, I don't think so.' "I can't avoid home forever." I added.

"Not forever. Only when no one is home." He stated cuddling up next to me.

"Which is all the time Shannon!" My voice went up a few octaves. He wasn't expecting me to be held prisoner for the rest of my life right? My tone must have shocked him because he just looked at me dumbfounded.

"We'll talk about it in the morning. Let's go to sleep, please?" He said softly in retreat, but it was already too late my temper had gotten the best of me.

"No, I think I'll be going home now." I said matter of factly and got up out of bed turning on a light switch. I grabbed my phone and shoved it in my back pocket and without missing a beat hastily snatched my keys as well. Shannon let me get to the door before pulling my arm.

"You don't think I'm going to let you just walk out of here do you?" He asked me in a calm voice.

"You don't have a choice." I replied shaking my arm loose from his grasp. I made my way up the stairs only to be met by Jeff, Matt, and Shane. "Good night boys." I said and reached for the front door.

"Banana I'm serious. There is absolutely no telling what Heath is capable of doing now that you've pissed him off." He stated, I could see the boys nodding heads behind where he stood.

"I'll call you in the morning." I opened the door and headed down the stairs.

"Belles. Please stay with me." Shannon pleaded. I just kept walking, I knew that if I looked back I would cave in and stay.

"Where do you think you're going?" Jeff asked appearing pretty much out of nowhere. "Listen, I'm not going to put my hands on you, but you need to know that once you get back home there is nothing that we can do. You're on your own." He said simply and stepped out of the way.

"Thanks for all your fucking concern." I replied back and started down the block towards the garage where my truck was parked. The rest of the way to my truck no one bothered me, no one talked to me, no one pleaded with me to stay. I pulled out my phone and texted Kelly.

"You up? Care for a meeting?" Sent to Kelly.

I turned over the engine and backed out. I threw it in first and headed in the general direction of Kelly's house. My mind was at a standstill. Earlier today it had been rushing with thoughts and confusion. Now there was nothing. I turned up the volume on the CD play which was playing "Cemetery Gates" by Pantera.

"Sure come on over its just me here." From Kelly

"Be there in like 15." Sent to Kelly.

"Please let me know when you're home" From Shannon

I tossed my phone on the passenger's seat and rested my head back against my own seat. How was I going to explain this to Kelly? Should I? Shannon's voice kept ringing in the back of my head 'Banana you can't tell Kelly anything'. Yeah, whatever. I tell Kelly everything.

"Pull over." The voice in my back seat said.

Mental head slap.

Of course I'm the moron who doesn't bother to check my truck over before hopping in and driving away. I should have known that Heath would be in the back seat, classic horror movie shit.

"Make me." I replied challenging him. What the hell? I was in a fighting mood anyway.

"Pull over darling." He chuckled behind me. "You don't want to kill us both do you?" He whispered through my hair.

Giving in I pulled the truck over to the side of the road. Heath had waited until the opportune moment before revealing himself. I was out on 174th ave a dirt road in the middle of nowhere and nowhere. He got out of the backseat and opened up my door extending his hand.

"Come on." He instructed. I took his hand a little confused. This was generally not the way heath did things. He was more of a 'wam bam thank you mam' type of guy.

"Where are we going?" I asked him my voice coming out a little bit squeaky.

He didn't respond to my question, just pulled me along behind him through the woods.

And everything went black.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Oh Em Gee. It took me forever to update. I am sorry. I now have a new job that keeps me busy so updates on any of my stories will probably be really random. I hope you guys like this chapter, I added a new character to the story.

When I opened my eyes I could tell that I was in a barn somewhere. There was hay underneath me and judging by the rafters it was a big ass barn. My head was pounding from whatever hit me and I groaned in pain when my fingers brushed the soft spot.

"You took quite a spill." Heath said.

It all came back to me when I heard his voice.

"You hit me you ass hole." I stuttered.

"No, you ran into a tree. It's not my fault you weren't watching where you were going." He chuckled.

"Whatever. Why don't you just get this over with." I said expecting the worst.

"I made Heath bring you here because I wanted to talk to you in private." Wade's voice came from somewhere upstairs in the barn. A few seconds later his tall lanky frame came into my focus. "It was impossible to talk to you calmly with Shannon and them right there. Don't worry… I'll let you go when I'm finished." He said with his hands in the air as if to say 'I retreat'.

"Whatever." I said back.

"Ok. I think things got a little out of hand last night. Heath will no longer bother you, he knows the penalty if he does. You were the only person in this horrible town that gave me a chance as I was. You were never skeptical, you never judged, you were wide open about everything. You were honest with me when I asked you to be and in return I lied to you about the other part of who I was. You have to understand that there was a reason for it, you don't just tell people 'hey I'm a shape shift by the way'." He said calmly.

"The blood in the basement?" I asked.

"Is not what you think." He said and stopped himself, "Well it is, but it not from anything of yours. We are not responsible for any of your livestock killings in the area. Everything in our basement came with us from the old house." He must've seen the doubt in my eyes, if not him than who? "I know you don't believe me, but I'm telling you the truth. Just like when I tell you that I would never hurt any of your animals because it is the equal to hurting you is the truth. We're not savage killers Annabelle, we live normal lives just as you only ours have a bit of a twist. But I assure you, that is not our work." He said.

"Can I go now?" I said through gritted teeth. His mouth opened to reply but nothing came out, instead he just shook his head and headed for the door.

"I'll take you back to your car." He said barely audible.

I walked silently behind him my head rushing with thoughts. If Wade really was telling the truth, that means that there are other shape shifters out there. I would have to call Shanny when I got into the car and tell him what just happened.

"I don't want any visitors at my house at night." I told him in a serious tone. The last thing I wanted to see tonight was Heath.

"Not from us." He said. We finally made it through the brush and to my truck. He opened the door for me and gave me a boost into my truck. "Are you ok to drive? You have a softball sized lump on your head." He said concerned.

"I'll be fine." I told him and turned over the truck.

"I'm still around if you ever want to talk." He told me and shut the truck door. I threw it into gear and headed back towards my house. Quickly I pulled out my phone and dialed Shannons number.

"You're home?" He answered.

"Not exactly." I responded trying to figure out how I was going to tell him that Heath kidnapped me and drug me through the woods…

"You just missed the sound of my voice baby?" He cooed completely oblivious of the situation.

Then it clicked.

"Kelly is beeping in, I'll call you right back." I said and hung up.

Oh Em Gee.

I quickly dialed Kellys number, knowing full and well that I wasn't supposed to tell her anything... But she was my best friend and I wasn't planning on keep this from her.

"Hey!" She answered in her usual bubbily voice.

"Holy shit Kelly. Ok you remember the blood in the basement right? Ok well long story short is that Wade and Shannon and all them are shape shifters and can turn into wolves which is what has been attacking the livestock around town. What if I have everything all wrong?" I spat into the phone. There was a moment of silence before she finally answered.

"What the hell are you going on about?" She asked confused, "Shape shifters? Are you fucking serious?

"No dummy I'm kidding. You can't fucking say anything! Shannon told me I couldn't tell you." I said to her.

"He should know better." She told me, "I wont say anything, ok ok so spill what do you have wrong?" She asked.

"You're taking this rather well. Long story short again I just talked to Wade… It's not him or the boys that are doing the killing. What if its Shannon and them?" I said in a hurry, "What if they've been up to it the whole time and are lying to us?"

"Calm down. Chill out. We need to think about this, I mean Wade could be lying…" She started.

"No, I could tell by the way he looked that he wasn't. Everything in that cooler came with them when they moved." I told her.

"There could be more of them in town, you can't just jump to the conclution that its Shannon and the boys. You've known them for a long time and I'm pretty sure he wouldn't lie about this and keep the story going." She said.

"Serious question. Why do I always find the ones that have more baggage than me? What the fuck?" I said my voice a few octives higher than usual. Why couldn't I just find a normal little human boy that had a good job, a place to live and a car and no drama.

"I don't know, but you're really good at finding them." She said laughing. I laughed to, I couldn't help it she was right. My phone beeped in my ear, Shannon was calling.

"I'll call you back, Shan is beepin in." I told her and switched over lines. "Hello?" I said.

"Uhm… What's going on?" He asked hesitantly. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine. Kelly and I had just been playing phone tag all day and I didn't want to miss her call, sorry." I lied.

There was a second of silence and I knew that he knew I was lying. God, please don't ask me questions I said in my head.

"Are you home?" He asked.

"Pulling into the drive way." I said. That wasn't a lie, I was really pulling into the house. "Any activity next door?" I asked casually.

"Nope. They're not home, I was going to ask you if you'd seen them." He said in a voice that I knew said 'you're hiding something from me.'

"No I haven't seen them, but who knows Heath could be in my house so I"ll get back to you on that one." I said trying to lighten the conversation.

"That's not funny." He said seriously.

"Whatever." I said back starting to become annoyed. Don't call me if all you're going to do is be a jackass.

"I can tell by your voice that you've seen them baby." He emphasized 'baby' in a way that I didn't like. "Why don't you just tell me the truth?"

"I haven't seen anyone baby." I told him. "I'm at the house I"ll talk to you later." I said and hung up the phone. I had enough with his attitude.

I walked into the house and locked the door behind me, not like it would do any good but it still gave me some form of comfort. The house was empty and quiet, I walked over to the fridge and pulled out a Corona and planted my ass on a kitchen chair and stared out the window, my mind racing. In reality I should be out checking on all of the animals but I was to riled up to do anything. Against my better judgement I pulled out my phone and texted Wade.

"Who is doing it then?" Sent to Wade.

And waited.

"I don't know." Text from Wade.

"Do you think it is Shannon?" Sent to Wade.

I finally got the motivation to get up and go change my cloths. My head was pounding from earlier so I popped a few advil as well.

"No. As much as I hate to admit it they are to smart to do anything locally." Text from Wade.

"Ok. Thanks." Sent to Wade.

I let out a sigh and walked outside to feed and check up on everyone before I got to dark outside. It was already 8pm and the sun had started to set. I started at the back of the rescue and did a walk through, all the aquatic life was normal, the reptiles were good, African animals were good, and Asia was good. Everything seemed to be just fine until I got the cows. They were fine when I walked out of the house and so were the horses. When I walked up to the pasture they all seem spooked and were huddled into a corner on one side of the pasture. Without missing a beat I grabbed the shot gun out of my pick up, I was not beyond shooting something.

I crawled through the fence and started walking towards the woods, I heard Raja whinny behind me. He was my guardian angel horse, saved my life more than once. The cows didn't even glance at me, their gaze was focused on the trees. Even Romeo my prized Brahma Bull didn't take a glance my way and he was usually in my pocket all the time. In all of five seconds the bushes rustled and the cows took off towards the other end of the pasture, my heart about jumped out of my skin. As I neared the brush I heard a low deep growl come from the woods.

That was enough to stop me in my tracks.

My gun was now positioned to shoot and I cocked it. My heart was racing and I could hear the blood rushing in my own body.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The voice came from the bushes. It wasn't a voice I had heard before, which relieved me slightly.

"Who are you?" I said into the darkness. By now the sun had gone down completely and it was just me my gun and the stranger in the bushes.

"Put down the gun. You wouldn't have a chance anyway." He said.

I did as I was told and lowered my gun.

"Good girl. Now go back into your cozy house and go to bed." He told me.

"I'm not leaving you out here with my fucking cows. Not a chance in hell. You leave first." I said without thinking. Another deep growl came from the bushes.

"You're livestock will still be here in the morning. Go." He repeated.

"Fuck. You." I said letting my mouth get the best of me. "Plus who are you to tell me what do to on my own property? How about you take your fuzzy ass and get the fuck out of here?" I said assuming he was a shape shifter like the others.

The next thing I knew I was flat on my back in the middle of the pasture. My head spinning from it hitting the dirt so hard. Everything was blurry but I could tell there was someone on top of me by the weight, and a soft chuckle.

"You've got balls." He said.

My sight finally came back and I focused on the man who had me pinned to the ground. If I wasn't fearing for my life right now he could totally sit on me all day. He was built perfectly, amazing eyes and long brown hair. (A/N: John Morrison has just been introduced into the story lol couldn't help myself)

"You're hurting me." I said through gritted teeth.

"I would'nt have had to if you'd have just gone into the house like I'd told you to." He said smartly.

"Whatever." I said softly.

"If I let you go are you going to go into the house?" He asked me and rubbed the bump on my head. I winced from the pain and he looked at me with a cocked expression. "Hurt?" He asked.

"Duh." I replied.

"What happened?"

"I ran into a tree." I confessed.

"Graceful." He stated with a small laugh. "Go inside." He said lifting his body off mine and pulling me up with little effort to my own feet. He stood a good five inches taller than me. He picked up the shot gun that had been knocked out of my hands and started to walk back into the woods, leaving me there dumbfounded.

I was wrong. My life had just become more complicated.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Remember when I said updates would be random? LOL

I woke up the next morning still in my clothes from yesterday and in a cold sweat. Even though I locked that house up better than Ft. Knox it still worried me and needless to say I didn't get the best night's sleep. There were missed calls and texts on my phone which only made me cringe as it brought me back to reality once more.

3 missed calls from Dom

2 missed calls from Shannon

Missed call from Wade

"Are you up?" Text from Dom

"Call me when you're up, we've had a change in plans." Text from Dom

"Making sure you're still alive." Text from Shannon

"Starting to have my doubts…" Text from Shannon

"I'll be at your house around 2." Text from Kelly

"I'm alive. Feeding animals." Texted to Shannon

"See you then, got another story for you." Text to Kelly.

Then I dialed Doms number. I really hated it when they changed the plans without telling me first. "Sleep fucking good? I've been trying to get ahold of you all morning." Doms voice came over the phone in an angry tone.

"I see that." Was I said. I wasn't about to let him get a rise out of me this morning.

"We won't be home for a few more days. Job didn't go as planned." He told me apparently not in the mood to fight with me either. "Did you get everyone fed?" He asked.

"I don't understand why you even ask me that? Seriously Dom, like I would forget to feed the rescue. Oops, must've slipped my mind today." I shot back at him annoyed. "And I don't give a fuck when you come home, just send money." I spat into the phone.

"Someone is cheerful this morning." He mused. I could see his amused smile on the other end of the phone and I wished I could reach through and fucking strangle him.

"Kiss my ass. I've gotta go get stuff done." I told him. It was nearly noon and I wanted to make sure that all my cows were still out there, well actually that every animal was still out there for that matter.

A couple hours later I had the whole rescue fed, counted, and horse stalls were clean. Kelly pulled in and we had planted ourselves on the couch. I filled her in on the whole story with Shannon and Wade before telling her about tall, dark and scarey.

"He was smoking hot Kells. But it's gotta be him right, I mean caught red handed?" I asked her referring to the guy from yesterday, "And! That mother fucker took my gun!" I said upset.

"You're a target for drama. And weirdos I guess." She told me laughing.

"God I really miss you." Text from Wade.

"And! I don't know what to do. I really, totally, super like Wade. But, Shannon is so great too and I hate love triangles." I told her staring at my phone.

"What'd he say?" She said like 'fess up' type of way.

"That he misses me. " I told her with a sigh.

"And you…?" She asked trying to get me to finish the sentence.

"Miss him to." I confessed.

"Tell him." She said, "If he was fixing to eat you, he'd of done it by now." She said with a chuckle. That made me smile, 'eat me'. She was so goofy sometimes, but she was right.

"I miss you to. But don't get any ideas. " Texted to Wade.

"Shannon would have a cow if I ever went back over there, I've like doomed our relationship. Ok no, I doom any chance of a relationship with him if there ever was a chance." I told her. She was about to reply but our house phone started ringing.

Odd.

The house phone NEVER rings, it was only an emergency.

"Hello?" I said into the phone with a confused look on my face.

"Annabelle! Thank god you're home. It's Debby next door." Debby said.

"Hey… Is something wrong?" I asked her.

"Yeah my cows just got out and they're all over out here. John is in Texas for the week it's just me and Leah here. She's out on her horse trying to round everyone up but she can't do it by herself. Is there any way I can get you over here to help?" She pleaded into the phone, "And I've got a dead bull in my field I'd like you to look at for me."

"Calm down Debby. I'll saddle up a couple horses and Kelly and I will be on our way." I told her and hung up the phone. "Come on you can ride Chester, we've got to round up her cows and look at a dead one that I can probably diagnose the cause of death for over the phone." I told Kelly.

We ran out to the barn and I help Kelly saddle up Chester, I threw the halter onto Raja and hopped on bareback and we were on our way down the road. It only took the three of us a half hour to get everyone back into the pasture and I fixed the broken boards for her as well.

"Oh Annabelle he was the best bull I had." Debby said tears running down her face as she looked down at her beloved Angus bull. He was a pretty amazing guy, sweetest thing you'd ever met and he threw amazing calves.

"I'm sorry Deb. We lost one of ours a few weeks ago as well, I just don't know how to protect them from whatever is out there." I told her rubbing her shoulder.

A FEW HOURS LATER

"What are you doing?" Text sent to Wade.

Kelly had left a few hours ago to meet some guy for a date tonight, leaving me home alone. Not to mention bored and lonely. With my amazing cooking skills I had successfully made a pot of mac and cheese with hot sauce and was planted on the couch in front of the TV.

"Watching Heath and Justin wrestle on the living room floor. Yourself?" Wade texted back.

"You want to come over?" Text to Wade. Against my better judgment I may add.

"On my way." Text from Wade.

My stomach turned a few flip flops as I rose from the couch to go put on something to wear. I was only in my tee shirt since I was the only one home, I tossed on a pair of sweat pants, threw my hair into a pony tail and went to the fridge for a soda. A little while later there was a knock on the door and I walked over to let him in.

"Hey." He said when I opened the door.

"Hey…" I sighed. Seeing him actually comforted me. "Come in." I told him leaving the door wide open for him and walked back to the couch. He followed me in and I heard the door click shut behind me, he walked over and sat down right next to me putting an arm around my shoulder.

"How have you been?" He whispered into my ear.

"Miserable. My life is a hot mess, and it's your fault." I complained poking him in the chest accusingly. It was true, if he hadn't have moved in next door to Shannon I'd have never met him and none of this ever would've happened.

"I'm sorry." He said not arguing with me, "If it helps I'm glad I met you." He confessed.

"Oh I never said I wasn't glad I met you, I just said that my life is a mess right now because I met an amazing man." I said.

"Shannon?" He teased.

"You're so funny I forgot to laugh." I said smirking at him, "Though Shanny is pretty amazing, he isn't the one I want." I told him. He didn't let me even finish what I was about to say before his mouth was on mine, his tongue sliding over my bottom lip and snaking into my mouth. My body caved to his touch and I let him pull my body onto his lap to straddle him. His hands massaged my back and rested on my hips as our kiss deepened. I could feel his cock growing as he ground his hips upward into mine, a low animal like growl escaping his lips which I may add only made me hotter.

"Are you uncomfortable?" He breathed pulling away from me momentarily.

"Do I look uncomfortable to you?" I said after my huff of protest from him pulling away. That was the only encouragement he needed because not even a second later he had me in his arms bride style effortlessly carrying me down the stairs to the bed room. In one swift move I lifted his shirt up over his head and tossed it on the floor. I needed to feel him. My fingers drug slowly over his biceps and down his well-defined abs. I let my fingers tease along the inside of the seam of his pants. He pulled my shirt up over my head and gently pushed me down on the bed, his mouth only leaving mine for a second.

I felt him put a finger under the stretch band of my pants and underwear and he swiftly pulled them off. My fumbling fingers managed to unhook the belt on jeans and his pants joined mine on the floor. He pushed me up farther on the bed taking one of my breasts in his mouth. I took in a sharp breath and let my fingers intertwine in his short hair. He had one arm sustaining his weight and the other was locked with mine gently holding me to the bed. After a few minutes of giving both my breast the attention they had been craving he trailed his kisses down my stomach and past my belly button, he continued down my thigh and to my calf. His fingers followed close behind letting my skin spasm under his finger tips from the soft touch. "You're beautiful." He said like he had so many times before. He was on his knees between my legs massaging my thighs, inching his way up towards my wetness. His fingers found their target and he circled my clit with his thumb, the whole time his eyes never left mine. They were gentle and soft nothing like the way Heath had looked at me before.

He had his thumb massaging my clit and two fingers inside me fucking me slowly. It was killing me I needed him inside me. Now. "Wade..." I begged him as I grabbed his shoulders and pulled him closer to me. That was all the encouragement he needed I guess because he pulled his hand away and I felt the head of his cock enter me. He slowly thrust all the way inside and held himself there, he kissed my neck, my cheek and finally plunged his tongue into my mouth. He held my arms down by the wrists as he slowly pulled himself back out and pushed back in again. It went on like that for a few more minutes before he released my hands. "Faster…" I whined letting my fingers run circles around his back, his head was resting near my ear letting me hear his labored breathing. He was trying his hardest to control himself right now. After a moment he straightened himself above me, he had pulled my leg up by his shoulder and thrusting deep, every time he hit my spot my body got hotter. I felt a few drops of sweat fall from his eye brow onto my face when I finally reached my orgasm. He held himself there inside me as my back arched up from the bed and my fingers dug into his back. He slowly pulled out and thrust in one last time letting himself go inside me. He let out a soft grunt before he collapsed on the bed next to me. His arm slid in under my neck and shoulder and he gently pulled me against him, kissing my temple between breathes.

"We have a problem." He said, my fingers were tracing his abs but stopped as I looked at him slightly confused. I certainly didn't have a problem with what just happened. "Shannon." He stated.

Shit. That was a problem.

"I'll figure it out…" I said and rested my head on his chest. He didn't push the issue any further but pulled me in closer and rested his head on top of mine. That was the last thing I remember before falling asleep.


	16. Chapter 16

"We have to keep it a secret until I can figure out what to do. If Dom finds out about this whole mess he'll flip shit." I told Wade setting down a plate of pancakes in front of him. "And I don't know what Shannon will do." I added.

"I would rather the whole world know you were mine." He said obviously unpleased with the situation at hand. I shot him an apologetic look, because I wanted the same.

"I know. It's not forever only a week or so." I told him sitting down at the table beside him. I nibbled on a piece of bacon now lost in my own thoughts.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked curiously. Truthfully I was thinking about the asshole that took my gun, but I didn't know if I should tell him that.

"I need to tell you-" I was cut off by the deep rumbling of my brothers 67 Mustang pulling into the driveway, I shot Wade a look of panic, why now? "Fuck my life." I mutter, "This should be interesting." I add, watching my brother as he got out of his car and eyed Wades SUV skeptically. Vince and Leo followed him up into the house, where he proceeded to slam the front door shut and stomp into the kitchen.

"What are you doing here?" He shouts at him, making me jump in my chair.

"Jesus Dom, what the hell is your problem?!" I snap at him, already annoyed with my brother's behavior. Wade had don't nothing to make him act this way, when I said things were going to get interesting I meant I thought he would ask about why Shannon isn't here or something.

"Shannon called me this morning." Was all he said, staring daggers into Wade who has still said nothing. He continued to sit there calmly, leant back in his chair, face expressionless. "Said this one and his little buddies can't be trusted, that they're snitchers." He says.

"Please, and you believe everything that Shannon tells you?" I ask him, standing from the table and taking mine and Wade's plate into the kitchen.

"Allow me to-" Wade started.

"If you're smart you'd keep your fucking mouth shut." Vince warned him, cracking his knuckles like it was something to be scared of.

"Will you guys knock it off." I tell them, slamming the plates into the sink to express even more how irritated I was with their attitudes. "Shannon only told you that because he's upset that I dumped him for Wade." I say, motioning to the man sitting at the table. Dom looked at me as if I was just about the most insane person on the planet, then glanced back at Wade.

"So you're a woman stealer?" He sneers at him.

"I in no way encouraged her to leave Shannon!" Wade shouts, losing his cool and standing up and towering over my brother by at least 6 inches, "I expressed my feelings to your sister not knowing that her a Shannon were even together, it's not my fault that I came out with the better end of the deal." He said, starting to calm down a little bit, "If Annabelle had left me for another man, I would be jealous and spiteful as well." He concluded.

"What the hell is it with you and men now?" Dom asks, turning around to look at me. "You spent 3 years avoiding anything with a penis, and now within the span of a week have 'dated' two different guys." He asks, "Something is going on, and I will figure it out." He says pointing an accusing finger in my direction.

"So now I'm a slut, gee thanks Dom I feel loads better." I shrug, "And nothing is going on, I think you're just losing it." I tell him walking over to where Wade was standing, "You should probably go before a fight breaks out and chaos ensues." I say with a smile, wrapping my arms around his neck. I hear Dom let out an annoyed sigh before retreating up the stairs, followed by Vince and Leo.

"Are you coming with me?" He asks hopefully.

"No, she's not." Dom answers for me, "She has work to do here." He adds.

"I can't answer myself." I shoot up at him, "I really do, have to work." I tell him, starting to drag him out to the SUV where Dom couldn't eavesdrop on the conversation. "Text me later ok?" I ask him.

"Hold on, wasn't there something you wanted to talk about?" He asks, giving me a skeptical glance.

"Oh, uhm yeah but it'll have to wait." I say, earning another look from Wade, "I don't want my brother to hear anything and it's about, well you know…" I mumble.

"Will you come over tonight? I don't want to leave you here." He says, letting his thumb strong across my cheek and leaving a kiss on my forehead.

"I'll try." I assure him, "I have a lot of shit that I have to do here before I can even dream of leaving." I tell him, shutting the door to the SUV. "Bye." I mumble, turning around and walking back up into the house where I knew I was about to have another fight with Dom.

"I want to know what the deal is, Shannon never acts this way and I've known him since school." Dom says to me in a matter of fact tone.

"Yeah? You knew him in this same kind of situation?" I ask him heading towards my bedroom, "Shannon is jealous and he knows that you'll believe him over Wade… And you do, nothing more to talk about and I made my decision." I say, shutting the door. I pull out my phone and send Shannon and angry text message.

"You need to mind you own damn business and stop talking shit to my brother." Text to Shannon.

I threw on a pair of old blue jeans and a tank top with my boots and headed out to the barn to get some stalls mucked and turn out some of the horses.

"We don't know what that group is capable of. I was only warning him." Text from Shannon.

"Stop it. It's not about that and you know it." Text to Shannon.

"I'm busy. We'll talk later." Text from Shannon.

With an angry huff I tossed my phone out into the hallway of the barn and continued to clean stalls.

"You weren't out there counting the cows this morning." I hear a familiar voice muse from a few feet away, I jumped a little and looked up to find the man from yesterday leant up against the door of the stall I was cleaning.

"I haven't made it there yet…" I trailed off, "Who are you?" I ask curiously.

"John. And you are?"

"Annabelle." I mumble, confused at how 'normal' this conversation was. Yesterday this guy had me flat on my back with my head bouncing off the dirt, "I… I really don't even know what to say." I chuckled. Obviously I couldn't over power him, he obviously wasn't here to hurt me, and even if I screamed now Dom would never make it to me in time.

"You don't need to say anything, I just need you to pass on a message for me." He says with a smug smile, the smile along made me take a step back and I raised the pitch fork slightly, which didn't go unnoticed. "If I was going to hurt you, I'd have done it yesterday." He smirks, "Tell your boyfriend that I'm around and I'm looking for him." He says.

"And he knows you?" I ask, raising my eye brows at him.

"Oh yeah. He knows me alright." John laughed, "Let him know I'm in the woods behind your house… That should be enough encouragement for him to talk to me." He adds before strolling out of the barn. When I went to follow him out and ask more questions, he was gone.

"I'll be there tonight. We need to talk." Text to Wade.

"Is everything ok?" Text from Wade.

"Guess we'll find out later." Text to Wade.

I didn't like the way he sauntered around like he did, and I for sure didn't like the way he talked to me. Just the tone of his voice was enough to rub me the wrong way. It took me about 6 full hours to finish the stalls, feed all the animals and do a few other small things around the rescue that I had been neglecting to do.

"Finish working?" Dom asks when I walk inside.

"No thanks to you." I mutter walking down the stairs to my room. I shut the door and go to take a shower, then change into a pair of cut off jean shorts, my tennis shoes and a zebra pattern tank top. "I won't be home tonight." I inform Dom as I walk back up the stairs and pull my truck keys off the hook. He says nothing but let's out a long and extended sigh as I walk out the door and hop in my truck. I drive the 20 minutes to Wade's house and park in front of it. Shannon and Jeff were both outside sitting on the porch.

"Can I talk to you?" Shannon asks as I walk up to Wade's front door.

"Not now." I tell him, not bothering to knock and shove the door open. Heath is sitting in the living room with Justin, "Where is he?" I ask them.

"Upstairs." Heath answers in his usual deep southern voice.

"Belles?" I hear Wade call from upstairs, I climb the stairs and walk the length of the hallway into his room where he is hammering up his curtains… Shirtless, in a pair of sweatpants. "You worried me earlier." He says bluntly.

"You're friend John came to visit me today." I reply, with the same bluntness. His head immediately whips in my direction, this has defiantly caught his attention. "Says he'd like to talk to you." I add.

"Where is he?" Wade asks, stepping off the stool and standing only a few inches from me.

"I think, 'who' is he is a better question." I tell him, not bothering to hide how annoyed I was with the events that have unfolded in my lap the past few days.

"He used to run with us, until he stabbed the group in the back." He answered shortly, "Did he hurt you? Threaten you?" He asks, looking at me with concern.

"No. He said that he wants to talk to you, and to look for you behind my house in the woods." I tell him, "Said that should be plenty of motivation for you to talk to him. What the hell Wade?! First I can't be alone in my house because of the fucking ginger, now because of some random guy that turned on you however long ago?" I exclaim, completely exasperated.

"Hey, calm down." He says soothing, running his fingers through my hair and stroking my face, "I'm going to take care of it alright? If John had any intentions of hurting you, trust me he would have done it already." Wade tells me.

"He's the one raiding the livestock." I mutter, "Caught him before you came over yesterday going after the cows. I threatened to shoot him." I shrug.

"You'd have never even gotten a round off baby." He chuckles, sitting on the bed and bringing my towards him, "I'm going to take care of it tomorrow alright?" He tells me reassuringly.

"Alright." I say caving into him, totally unaware of what was about to happen next.


End file.
